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May 8, 2026 11 mins

The Crusaders have kept their home ground streak alive, dominating the back half of their match against the Blues to pull a 36-20 victory. 

George Bower scored his first try for the team in his 100th match – one of the six tries they scored, four of which were in the second half.  

Crusaders assistant coach Dan Perrin told Piney they pulled a couple of moves out of the vault, adjusting them to suit, as they knew how good it would be to get Bower a try. 

“He’s got quick feet on him, and to get the ball placement down with the left arm as well, it’s like he’d scored a hundred of them.” 

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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talk sed B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
From christ Church. The Crusaders have dominated the back half
of their second Super Rugby match at one New Zealand
Stadium at Tikaha in christ Church to beat the Blues
thirty six twenty. George Bauer scored his very first Crusaders
tried in his one hundredth match. They go quick here
our little seat please played.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
George Power. He's done it. He's done it a game
one hundred.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
This man try for the Crusaders, a training ground boat
for power.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Unbelievable five grade kick to the club. George Power, all power,
lover from Nick Billy and the team down there. George
Bauer grabbing the first of the crusaders six tries. Four
of those came in the second half. Crusaders assistant coach
Dan Perrin is with us, I cogrets on the windown,
but I want to go straight to George Bauer's try.

(01:03):
How much planning went into that set peace move and
how sad is fine?

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Was it?

Speaker 2 (01:08):
You know, to see it come off so perfectly?

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, it was. It took away while actually we line
out leaders Jamie Henna Antonio Shelf and himself met last
Sunday and he sort of come up with a bit
of a plan and saw haw good would be to
get Geo a try on his hundreds because we knew
he hadn't had one. So yeah, we pulled a couple
of moves out of the vault and had a look
at them and just he edited them to suit Geo

(01:31):
getting that ball, and then yeah, just driving the details
throughout the week. It was important that our front lift
has stayed strong and didn't get smacked back so that
Lester didn't trip up, and Christian Leo Willie did a
great job on the short side making sure that no
defenders got off the mall and gave Geo three runder
the line. But he saw had a bit of work
through the big band. He's got quick feet on him
and to get the ball placement down with a left

(01:54):
arm as well as like he'd scored one hundred of them,
so you know, but we ended up planning. But yeah,
really stoked for Geo. He's a massive part of our
group here and yeah we'll just wrap the should get
them over the line. But line out leaders, you know,
they can take a lot of credit for that one.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, so good and joy among the players, and then
they fleshed up into the coaching box. It seemed like
there was more joy up there than at any point
during the game. Even when the final whistle went. There
was obvious delight that you finally got across for one.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, I got out of my seat and the camera
captured that one. But I was no good for five
minutes after that. As a lot we won the bloody championship.
But yeah, Pens and Vaya, I think the whole coaching
group you got up out of their seats and enjoyed
that one. So special players don't come off that often
these days. Teams you know they're analysis and you know

(02:44):
how the good they are around defense. So for one
to come off for a special man like Joe, we're
a rap from.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, great moment and the perfect start to a good
performance from the side. How happy? Having given it the
overnight test, were you with the way your team played
last night?

Speaker 3 (02:59):
Yeah, there were parts of the game we were really
impressed with. You know, we controlled the territory battle in
that first half. I think we had no entries into
the twenty two, but we weren't really capitalizing. But we're
really confident that, you know, with that game plan that
we had, just to keep trusting it, keep backing it.
We're taking a lot of gas out of their legs
in that first half, so just probably went quite accurate

(03:20):
enough and executing our skill set in a few other parts.
But we kept applying the pressure in the second half
and the territory game. All the backs put us in
the right area of the field and we've got to
mall going and we're able to shift a point of
attack on the Blues. And yeah, for most parts they
were pretty happy. But the exciting things for our group
is so much more to get better at. And you

(03:42):
know there'll be the area we'll focus.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
On when we get back from our boy least a
fighting on Nuk starts the game at seven moves into
midfield when you lose Dallas McLeod. He beat more defenders,
one more turnovers, made more offloads and more tackles than
anybody else in your team. He also had two triassists,
including a little grubberact for seaver Reese's try. Did you
know he could play the hybrid role in this incredible fashion?

(04:05):
For you?

Speaker 3 (04:07):
We knew he had done it over and too long
when he was there finished the back end of games there.
We've spoken about it in the preseason. He actually played
thirty minutes against the Blues in a preseason game there.
We've been planning it as a coaching group for most
of the year but never really had the opportunity. Actually
is quite a big effect on your makeup or your

(04:30):
squad and your balance your bench, and you know he
couldn't jump in the line out, but we've managed to
get that happening. To me, there were just a few
things around our line out, but once we got our
head round it and then made it work, and you
just got to have him on the field, and you've
got to have him as close to the action as
possible because, as you've mentioned, when he's there, he is
some sort of footy player and in some sort of

(04:51):
form at the moment. It's impressive to watch and I
think it's impressive for the game as well. It's changing
the game, and yeah, that's got to be a good thing.
It's gained a lot of interest in a lot of commentary,
so we're rap for Leicester.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Do you feel as though it's something down and he
could do at test level?

Speaker 3 (05:09):
I do now yep, one hundred percent. I do. I
think you've just got to get a skill set in
the action and whether he's at seven or at thirty
or a hybrid on the bench that can come in
and open up a game in the last twenty minutes,
one hundred percent can see him doing that in the
Black Dusy.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
After super Round, I went to interview on postmatch for Radio.
You had just had a conversation with him and you said,
as you're walking off, ask him about the scrums. I
know he's not in the in the front row, but
how's he going at scrum time when he's when he's
taking down.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
He's starting to give he's starting to give Fletcher Yule
a bit of feedback, so you know that's a good thing.
And he's got the right boots on, which is the
most flankers tend to wear their molded studs and they're
more like on ice skating rinks at times at scrumtime.
But he's got the right sprigs in there, and he's
he can push. I'll give you that much. See, you know,

(05:58):
he's pretty vocal at scrum time. Give us plenty of
energy for the front rowers and they need that and
he's starting to understand the pictures as well, so he's
not afraid to give flicky we tap on the shoulder around.
We're to be better.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's so good to hear. At one point you're down
to thirteen and even though they scored shortly after, Jack
Sexton with Sinbinja controlled territory and possession for the rest
of the game. Was that one of the more satisfying
periods of the game from a coaching perspective.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah, I think it was. I think the leaders really
took control that we're out there around where we wanted
to play the game and apply pressure. We knew they
were going to try and run the ball out from
that kickoff, and we defended with only one in the backfield,
so that was technically the leaders. They came up with
that on the run and we just had to apply
pressure and stay composed. Once we got the ball back,

(06:46):
they made a couple of years trying to run it out,
and we just parked up in that corner and was
awesome to see Belly go over and keep that bonus
point alive for us, which is going to be really
important towards the back end. But I thought the leaders
did a great job of controlling that last ten minutes.
Yea even ethan even instigating, and we push and shove
to run the clock down too with smart.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
A lot of leaders in that pack. But I just
want to ask you about Christian Leo Willie. He started
all twelve games for you. It's a tough role to play,
really physical. How do you week to week evaluate his
ability to back up and go again, because that's a
lot of rugby week on week.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
Leo's best when he's when he's rolled out every week.
You can't really give him a week off. You know
that the continuity for him is massive and he's just
starting to find that sweet spot round form. He probably
be the first to admit he wasn't playing the best
in the sort of first five or six rounds and
he was a late start with us. He had the
all black rest as well, so he need a short

(07:43):
run into Super So we needed to get minutes into him.
We need to get minutes into his legs. And yeah,
he is a bit of a silent hero in our
full pack at the moment. He's he's a great leader,
He's got a great eye for the game and what's required,
and you know he's sitting in the background there and
driving a few of the shots too. And we've seen

(08:03):
you know, his ball and handworks coming to the foe
now as well. So where he's at and still there's
a couple of yeas in his game he can grow,
which is exciting.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
You've got the buy now, as you say, and then
Chiefs at home, Hurricanes at home, two big games. How
are you going to use the upcoming bye week to
make sure that you are ready for those final two
matches and then on towards the finals that will almost
certainly now follow.

Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yea, it's a week out of Rugby Park, but the
boys have got a good planning around the week and
they'll still be training off in their own individual silos
or in groups. I think that's really important. It's a
bit of a mental refresh, it can't be a physical refresh.
We've got to, like you said, we've got two big games,
two big test matches, origin games for us when we
get back at home a place that we love, in

(08:49):
front of our people. So the message was given last
night after the game that we've got to use this
reset week properly as players and his management and come
back really refreshed and energized on that Monday. But your
strength and conditioning group have put in a great plans
for the players and they all brought in last night.
So yeah, she's a big run home, exciting run home

(09:11):
for us.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
How different is this Crusader's forward pack and the way
it plays compared to the pack and the bunch of
players that you inherited when you first arrived as forwards
coach back in what twenty twenty three?

Speaker 3 (09:24):
The DNA doesn't change, does it. It's in the walls
at Rugby Park and I don't know if you've ever
stepped foot into the Pig Pennant's now called the Fords
Meeting Room. It just drips off the walls in there.
And these boys, you know, we've always got the watchtower
that the guys that have been there before us, and
we referencing them quite a bit. And I'm Antonio Shelfer

(09:49):
and Jamie Hannah, George Bell, Taylor Cahle. Those guys are
just about to hit their prime and I'm extremely proud
of where they've got to in their rugby careers and
what's ahead of them. So exciting. And then you've got
your season leaders, Cody Taylor fletch and you'll ethan Blackader
that you know, they just drive the standards and the
habits day and day out and they're the ultimate professionals.

(10:12):
So for those guys to see that and feel that
and breathe it, I think that's what sets up this
Crusader fall pack. And they're intelligent, smart group of rugby plars.
It's a joryd to coach them.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
And two from two under the roof. How much of
a fortress reckon that might become for you that place?

Speaker 3 (10:28):
Well, let you know at the end of the season.
Fair enough, fair enough, that's all mate. That is it
doesn't feel like New Zealand rolling up to it in
the bus and the punters swarm us, and then we're
you know, on the bus ride and again the people
walking into the stadium start cheering, and we drop the
boys off at the terrace and you know, again the

(10:48):
bus got swarmed and it's it's a special place and
it's starting to build a little big storyline for us.
But we know that there's there's a big road ahead
of us and if we want to respect that and
what it's, what it's been built for and the purpose
and Cross just deserves it. Then you know, we've got
to put on a performance that portrays it.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
And you got your horses back. Your horses are back.

Speaker 3 (11:13):
We'd like to get to see them. We're in the
changing rooms. But I think, well, the feedback that big
Cole got when they took him out of there, I
think he was only one thing that was going to happen,
wasn't there. So yeah, Stoke, their marketing crew and venues
outa tay managed to put that back out for the punters.
It's a big part of Crusader's tradition and yeah, awesome
to see and just gets the crowd up and going

(11:35):
and pormed up for the foot he doesn't it, So yeah, Stoke.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
Congrats on the win last night. Dan enjoyed the bye week, mate,
thanks for taking the time for a chat.

Speaker 3 (11:43):
Champion cheers, Jas, thanks mate.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
No, thank you mate. That is Dan parent assistant coach
or one off at the Crusaders after their win over
the Blues last night by thirty six points to twenty.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk z' b weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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