\u201cFree-flowing, guys expressing themselves, playing with that smile and full speed \u2013 moving fast, but usually quite short passing.\u201d<\/p>\n
But even armed with an arsenal of attacking weapons as the Crusaders are, the game can often descend into a one-out war of foot-long fights as forward after forward thrusts headfirst towards the try line, each failed attempt somehow renewing the optimism of the next ball carrier. It\u2019s effective \u2013 and dull. Like primer paint. Yet too frequently, teams apply it as the try-scoring top coat.<\/p>\n
Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall at preseason training in Christchurch. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The use of the dreary, ruck-focused battery can be heightened by pressure situations (like knockout matches) and poor weather. The two attacking irritants often go hand-in-hand in this part of the world; Super Rugby Pacific\u2019s showpiece events are held mid-winter. The Crusaders came out as champions, but they submitted to the weather.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we struggled a little bit when it got wet in terms of the shape that we\u2019re playing,\u201d Marshall says. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe ended up having to just go to a little bit more traditional, tighter pick-and-go-type style of rugby, which was effective but it\u2019s not really the style that I love us to play or not real proud of that style.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside One NZ Stadium in Christchurch – December 16, 2025.<\/p>\n
But the winter of 2026 could be one of great content for fans of fluent footy. As long as the Crusaders play at home \u2013 or Dunedin \u2013 they\u2019ll encounter no rain, no mud, no wind and no excuse to deprive their blistering backline of the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exciting thing about this year is we know our last six games, going well, will be under the roof at that time of year where things start to get a little bit less attractive to play [with width],\u201d Marshall says.<\/p>\n
The roof, of course, covers the pitch at the Crusaders\u2019 new inner-city fortress \u2013 One NZ Stadium. The perennial champions will call the covered stadium home from late April when they open the new venue with the first match of the Super Round.<\/p>\n
I caught up with Marshall in the week after the All Blacks had beaten Ireland in Chicago, a match that surely killed off any remaining interest that America had in rugby union: so stop-start that it made the NFL look fluent. Even then, Marshall was upbeat about the game. Not so much that test, but the game as a whole. That\u2019s just how he operates, looking for positive solutions \u2013 and innovation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always loved that side of the game. Like, what else can we do? And a lot of people like to see it done already, which is where I get stuck a little bit because I don\u2019t need it to be. I don\u2019t need to see it being done somewhere else, I know in my head whether it can be done or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut sometimes the hard part of the sell is to try and convince people that this can work when you can\u2019t show anyone that it\u2019s worked or has been done before. So [we\u2019re] always trying to think outside the box. And that\u2019s what I love about Penz [Rob Penney] is he encourages it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crusaders captain David Havili (left) and coach Rob Penney celebrate after winning the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific final against the Chiefs. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
2025 was Marshall\u2019s first year holding the Crusaders\u2019 attacking reins. By his own admission, he was conservative in his approach \u2013 but not in his thought process.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou jot down in your book for the following year, knowing that there\u2019s probably too much change to bring in in the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came in last year and tried to change how we were attacking. I thought the way we were using our edge forwards wasn\u2019t quite as effective as it could have been. We spent a lot of time on that pre-Christmas and I felt like we got good success from it early in the competition when the conditions suited.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season\u2019s thoughts are this season\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I love about the off-season and pre-season is you can really gather those thoughts, brainstorm and put it into a package, which I\u2019m getting around the boys at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crusaders attack coach James Marshall overseeing a training session. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Those plans will please fans of 15-man rugby.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of teams think of the Crusaders as the set-piece, kicking, pressure-cycle-type team. I think where we can really make a point of difference this year is our skillset. Some of our forwards have incredible catch-pass or ability to throw the ball out the back or long balls.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still believe we\u2019ve got the best skillset in the comp and we probably haven\u2019t been able to show that as often as I would have liked us to, but now we\u2019ve got no excuses playing under the roof in perfect conditions most weeks. And I think we\u2019ll really get to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rugby at the higher levels has become frustratingly formulaic for spectators, but Marshall hopes to see his side move seamlessly between pre-planned and off-the-cuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying what they\u2019re seeing. We create the structure to create opportunities, but always the rule is if you see an opportunity, back yourself and take it. A real licence there for guys to back themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Key to taking Marshall\u2019s ideas to the drawing board, training pitch and then the big stage is buy-in from his key game drivers. Among the most important is arguably the world\u2019s leading fullback.<\/p>\n
Brilliant Crusaders fullback Will Jordan on the run for the All Blacks against England at Twickenham. Photo \/ Brad Roberts<\/p>\n
\u201cWill [Jordan] is the most influential player in attack that I\u2019ve worked with. We\u2019ll have a good convo every Sunday before our week leading in, making sure we\u2019re both aligned with what we\u2019re thinking, and he drives it so well for me once we\u2019ve committed to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always brings in ideas or [is] really quick to give me feedback on whether something\u2019s working or not or whether it needs to come out or adjust a few things and I really trust his rugby IQ.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marshall says relationships like his with Jordan are crucial to be able to play the rugby that they plan to.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first came here, it was Scotty Hansen [now All Blacks assistant coach] and Richie Mo\u2019unga. Scotty trusted Richie so much and Richie trusted Scotty to drive it to the team. I think those relationships are important.\u201d<\/p>\n
The roof at the new One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha isn\u2019t the only difference in the season ahead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s going to be subtle rule changes again this year that will potentially fully change how you attack. I hate just doing the same thing again. I always want to try and evolve and adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marshall says one critical element hasn\u2019t changed between the seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill the number one time to attack is off turnover ball or when you get an average kick. The disconnected D [defence] lines are always the best [to exploit], especially when you\u2019ve got the calibre of backs that we\u2019ve got to be able to just find those mismatches and exploit them.\u201d<\/p>\n
How they do that will help determine the narrative for a game that is fighting for eyeballs. If they can do it well \u2013 like South Africa are doing on the international stage \u2013 they could set the standard for others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think a lot of teams look at the successful side. So if the successful side is playing a style of rugby that\u2019s negative or conservative, then a lot of teams will follow suit with that. So that\u2019s a little bit of a drive for me around wanting to play a really exciting style of rugby. That\u2019s why I\u2019m so excited about the new stadium, which I\u2019ve mentioned about 1000 times,\u201d Marshall says with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Inside One NZ Stadium in Christchurch – December 16, 2025.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s deadly serious about the style of rugby that they intend to play in 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no excuse for us not to, because it\u2019s actually really hard to play exciting positive rugby when you know that\u2019s not what\u2019s not going to win us the finals and those big games [in difficult conditions]. And at the end of the day, it\u2019s all about winning, but I\u2019d love to be able to win by playing a brand that everyone\u2019s just so excited to watch and be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bring on the roof.<\/p>\n