Tackle-busting Blues wing Mark Tele’a says the Crusaders demand respect ahead of Saturday night’s showdown at Eden Park.
The Blues have won three of four to open the Super Rugby Pacific season, while their southern rivals have lost four on the bounce.
The numbers say Mark Tele’a is playing the house down for the Blues through the first month of Super Rugby Pacific.
The winless Crusaders come to Eden Park as a staggering contradiction in terms at 0-4, and stuck in the worst losing rut in their history, the 14-time champions of this competition appear to have hit the skids.
Tele’a, of course, is not buying any story-line that suggests the Blues just have to turn up to tick off win No 4 for the season.
He’s been on the wrong side of too many hidings at the hands of the perennial contenders to be lured down that rabbit hole.
The Crusaders have won 19 of their last 20 against the Aucklanders, and eight on the bounce at Eden Park where the last home victory was 2014.
Tele’a says it’s the Crusaders, you can never look down on the Crusaders, as their legacy and history shows how good they are.
The winger says they are up for the challenge and even though they are 0-4, they can come to town, knock them off and get their season going.
He says There is still a lot of errors they can improve on, but he feel like they are in a good spot.
The Blues host the Crusaders at 6.05pm Saturday.
In other games, the Hurricanes host the Rebels at 6.05pm tomorrow, the Brumbies meet Moana Pasifika at 8.35pm tomorrow while on Saturday the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua play the Waratahs at 1.05pm, the Chiefs play the Highlanders at 3.35pm, and the Force meet the Reds at 8.35pm Saturday.
Source: Stuff.co
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