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Like the famous quote from the UK sitcom with which he shares his name, Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has a cunning plan ahead of his team's clash with the Western Force tomorrow.
He is not going to look at the score.
Blackadder and his squad arrived in Perth last evening, already fearing the temperatures that will greet them at Member's Equity Stadium to begin the post-Robbie Deans era for the Kiwi powerhouse.
But what is not concerning the new Crusaders coach is the result against fellow Kiwi John Mitchell's much scrutinised squad, with the teams due to use 28 players each and the contest split into thirds of 30 minutes to ease the experimentation.
"I want to see how the players put into practice what they have been learning over the past couple of months," Blackadder said on the Crusaders' website.
"They have also been working very hard on their fitness and we haven’t rested before these matches like we normally would.
"Therefore, they are likely to be a bit tired rather than peaking physically.
"Conditions will be difficult in Perth. Though it is an 8pm kick-off, it is likely to be very hot. It will be a good introduction for a few of the newer guys into the toughness of the Super 14."
The Crusaders, who toured the UK with the All Blacks - captain Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Brad Thorn and Ross Filipo - all arrived in Perth but will not play the game. All Black halfback Andy Ellis was named on the reserves bench.
That mirrors the Force, who will be without rested Wallabies Matt Giteau, Ryan Cross and Nathan Sharpe.
Mitchell said he was not expecting the team to change - despite his good friend Robbie Deans now in charge of the Wallabies, and former flyhalf Dan Carter plying his trade in Europe.
"Their ethos has always been about teamwork ahead of individual, and I don’t see that changing under Toddy Blackadder," Mitchell said.
"The culture just rolls on, and they have found a fantastic flyhalf in (Colin) Slade who played very well in the New Zealand Cups - they seem to have a factory down there.
"There has been a recipe for success and I don’t think they will go too much away from it, they will still have a very aggressive defensive line, and they have always been the benchmark in terms of their kicking game.
"It will be a very physical contest, and they will look to prosper through their physicality."
Western Force starting XV: Pek Cowan, Tai McIsaac, AJ Whalley, David Pusey, Tom Hockings, Matt Hodgson, David Pocock, Tamaiti Horua, Josh Valentine, Scott Daruda, Drew Mitchell, Josh Tatupu, Junior Pelesasa, Haig Sare, Dane Haylett-Petty.
Reserves: Luke Holmes, Kieran Longbottom, Richard Stanford, Richard Brown, Chris O’Young, Nick Cummins, Cameron Shepherd, Gareth Hardy, Troy Takiari, Filipe Manu, Justin Turner, Ben Whittaker, Brent Murphy
Crusaders starting XV: Owen Franks, Daniel Perrin, Peter Borlase, James Broadhurst, Isaac Ross, Ash Parker, George Whitelock, Nasi Manu, Steve Alfeld, Colin Slade, Kade Poki, Ryan Crotty, Adam Whitelock, Jared Payne, Leon MacDonald.
Reserves: Wyatt Crockett, Jason Macdonald, Bronson Murray, Michael Paterson, Jonathan Poff, Thomas Waldrom, Andy Ellis, Hamish Gard,Tim Bateman, Casey Laulala
By Tim Clarke
http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/blac...y.html?page=-1
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