Wetter the better as Crusaders make their most decisive statement in title defence

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Scott Barrett and the Crusaders reigned in the rain in the top-of-the-table clash against the Hurricanes.

A word to the wise, Crusaders fans. Be very, very careful what you wish for.

In Christchurch they're baying for a roofed new stadium to make the rugby viewing experience as pleasurable as possible. But Crusaders faithful might be smart to think twice about a move that would, in one fell swoop, wipe out their team's most telling competitive advantage.

After Friday night's axis-tilting, character-dripping 24-13 victory over the Hurricanes in Super Rugby's top-of-the-table clash at Christchurch's past-its-use-by AMI Stadium there was plenty you could say about Scott Robertson's defending champions who overcame a laundry-list of defections to secure the season's most notable result.

But top of any list of attributes of these Crusaders might be this: they are in all likelihood the finest wet-weather team in all of rugby. (And, yes, that is saying something given the conditions that prevail up in the UK.)

It would be a deserved ranking for an outfit that once again proved when it comes to the mix of forward and brain-power required to win in mid-winter New Zealand conditions, they are as good as it gets. As coach Scott Robertson wryly notes, when your neighbour is Antarctica, you had better be ready for them to come visiting at a moment's notice.

The Crusaders were on Friday night, in possibly their grittiest performance since they defeated the Brumbies in the 2000 final in Canberra with about a quarter of the possession, simply superb. Clinical. Physical. Special. They had every excuse not to win this pivotal contest that might decide home finals advantage – and the championship outcome.

But they accepted none, and delivered a superb display of wet-weather rugby that not only snapped the visitors' 10-match win streak, but sent them back to the capital with the realisation they might not be as good as they thought they were. The road to the title most definitely runs through Christchurch now.

The Canes had just been unable to defeat a Crusaders side which had lost prop Tim Perry and loosie Jordan Taufua at late notice to All Blacks training camp muscle injuries; on top of Joe Moody and Owen Franks through suspension, and skipper Sam Whitelock and Ryan Crotty through concussion. To compound matters midfielder Tim Bateman (hamstring) and No 6 Pete Samu (head knock) both made first-half exits that necessitated reshuffles. Rookie Braydon Ennor also limped off late.

Everyone has injury issues. But the Crusaders thumb their nose at theirs. No Sam Whitelock? Take Quentin Strange. No Jordan Taufua? We raise you a Heiden Bedwell-Curtis. They seem to have a limitless supply of capable  backups.

Consider this: Scott was the best Barrett on show, by some distance.

Asked if he'd had a prouder moment as a coach, Robertson pointed to last year's final in Jo'burg, but then noted that, in context, this one was "right up there".

"You'd say with the changes we made and experience we'd lost, it was probably stacked against you. But I love this sort of week: You've got to get the boys ready, clear their heads and you have one training run. It's quite old-school.

"We were all clear: we wanted to make our people who braved the rain proud again."

The key word there is "rain". When you get the cold and precipitation that prevails in Christchurch in winter, the Crusaders' advantages are amplified.   

Robertson says his team backs itself in all conditions, but adds, with a twinkle in his eye: "For the forwards the wetter the better is their mindset." You could throw first five Richie Mo'unga into that mix as well, for his tactical play shaded the best in rugby opposite.

Hurricanes assistant coach Jason Holland said his team took some clear lessons on board.

"We've played some good footy at times this year and showed some good skillsets, but this is a skillset we haven't quite nailed yet: to win the big moments in the big games when the conditions are bad. We have to look at how we build pressure when we're not able to do that by holding on to ball.

"You need to concentrate on different skillsets if the weather goes like that, and that's the part we need to learn from: how do we turn things round when it's too hard to pass and run?"

Canes skipper Brad Shields, as always, summed things up nicely: "On days like this you've just got to roll your sleeves up. But there's still a long way to go and this could be a turning point. Maybe it was something we needed."

The Crusaders now occupy the box seat, five points clear at the top, with a match less to play. But there's a twist and turn to come yet, with Kiwi derbies prevailing and the June break to negotiate.

The Crusaders visit the Chiefs in next weekend's final round before the test window. The Canes head to the Highlanders. And there's another All Blacks camp to play havoc with preparations.

"They're all massive," says Holland. "We'll have to be at our best in Dunedin. You can take the conditions out of it down there, but they'll get a few boys coming back. Just because there's a roof it doesn't mean we just need to attack the edges. We need to be smart about that."

The Canes had won 10 on the bounce before Friday. Now, after a lesson from the most pragmatic team in the business, it's all about the bounceback.

The run home

Crusaders (P13, 50 pts): @ Chiefs; bye; v Highlanders; v Blues.

Hurricanes (P12, 45pts): @ Highlanders; @ Brumbies; v Blues; @ Chiefs.