Ethan Blackadder: Crusaders flanker on the team's Super Rugby semifinal win over the Blues

The Crusaders have defended their line for 40 phases in added time before clinching their spot in next weekend's Super Rugby final. 

They'll entertain either the Chiefs or Brumbies after a 21-14 semi-final win over the Blues in Christchurch, with Will Jordan's second try of the match 10 minutes from fulltime the difference. 

Ethan Blackadder spoke with the media following the match last night, discussing the intensity of the clash, and the strange call on him to leave for an HIA. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, yeah, the match. They doctor did a good job
and stitched it up nice. So I'm happy. Yeah, fully
intense from minute one to the eighty fifth minute. Yeah,
we've got a smack on the nose early, didn't we
We conceded two tries and they had their tails up.
But yeah, we just had to hang in there and
know that momentum would turn around eventually and we could

(00:20):
apply a pressure through set peace. So I think just moments,
say like those set piece moments, the scrum penalties, taking
them to the corner penalty advantage again and then they
got a card. So it's just moments like that and
this kind of rugby, and we capitalized right up there. Yeah, yeah,
every game against the Blues, to be honest, is right

(00:40):
up there, and tonight literally no different. So heck of
a clash of the Titans. And yeah absolutely, yeah, I've
heard roam it was like forty one phases or something,
and yeah, it's incredible for us to hang in for
that long without yeah, faulting. So so proud of the lads.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
It must be really good for you that you have
been interrupted by any injuries, that you're playing right through
the eighty minutes and hanging in there.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, yeah, none today touch wood. But yeah, it's always
pleasing to be out there, isn't it. So yeah, just
love putting the jersey on with a bunch of boys
from the stitches, that is yeah, yeah, that's what you're
getting this job. Yeah. So you only got to look
at the first game we played at Eden Park and
there was a bit of niggle there, and then the
second game heaps a niggle and then this one, Yeah

(01:28):
it was growing. And that's just how much we go
at each other and afterwards we shake hands and it's
all good. Yeah it was Yeah, had everything that was
lots of physicality and it was just a good, hard
rugby game to do. Yeah. So now it's we're happy
with what we got tonight and it's just clean slate,

(01:48):
reset to zero and prepare for whoever we have. So yeah,
we've been good at that this year. So we're going
to step tight as a FOURD pack. This was the
kind of game we wanted a front up for, and
we knew we'd have some moments and we're pleasing to
come away with the big moments. Yeah, we're stoked. Yeah,
this is to be honest, this is home for us.
It doesn't matter if it's scaffolding or what. We we

(02:10):
love that petch of grass, our fans turn up for us.
We just love going to war out there. So until
we play on that new set of grass, we don't
actually care and we want to see this off.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Can I just ask about that Hia on the first half?
Did you was that a mistake? Did you get tested?

Speaker 1 (02:28):
It was a mistake, Yeah, so nothing really, you.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Didn't have to do one right.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
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