Form versus pedigree in blockbuster Super 15 final
Rampant Waratahs swept the board in the regular season, but history is on the side of Crusaders
Form collides head-on with pedigree when the New South Wales Waratahs bid for a first Super Rugby title against seven-time champions Canterbury Crusaders in a blockbuster final at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on Saturday.
The often rampant Waratahs ran away with the regular season standings this year, having swept the board in all the offensive categories - carries, tries, metres, passes, breaks, offloads and most importantly, points.
They’ve earned the right to be called number one, but this is what the final is all about, two teams, first and second, are going to dog it out
In fullback Israel Folau, they have Super Rugby's top try scorer and in their gritty semi-final victory over the ACT Brumbies last weekend, they proved their defence was from the top drawer as well.
On Saturday, in front of what is expected to be a Super Rugby record crowd in excess of 55,000, they come up against a Crusaders side who rode a poor start to the season and finished second before crushing the Sharks in their semi-final.
"They've earned the right to be called number one, but this is what the final is all about, two teams, first and second, are going to dog it out," Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said with some relish.
In their 11th title decider, history is resolutely on the side of the New Zealanders, who beat the Waratahs in both of their two previous finals in 2005 and 2008, and have not lost to the Sydney-based side for a decade.
And even in a match where players without international caps will be the exception, the names of Crusaders stalwarts Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Kieran Read - who have six IRB World Player of the Year awards between them - stand out.