The Queensland Reds will head into their Super Rugby final with the benefit of some extra preparation after assistant coaches Matt Taylor and Jim McKay picked the Crusaders to win their semi against the Stormers.
Head coach Ewen McKenzie is a master at keeping the cards close to the chest but his free-speaking assistants readily admit that they had prepared '60-40' for the experienced Kiwis to overcome the Stormers' home ground advantage.
Defensive coach Taylor says that they'd first wagered correctly in predicting the Blues would beat the Waratahs to become the Reds' semi-final opponent and they made it two from two after analysing the Crusaders-Stormers match-up.
"I know (attack coach) Jimmy (McKay) spent a lot of time (on the Crusaders) last week and I certainly did. We actually got it right the week before with the Blues as well, so we've been a bit lucky," he said.
"Yeah we did (concentrate more on the Crusaders than the Stormers). We just kind of felt that with the team that the Crusaders had and the experience and with the Stormers losing one or two of their players in the lead up."
"The Stormers are a very, very good side but they probably needed to have a bit more balance with both sides of their work."
"They're very good defensively but probably not as well in attack. We felt the Crusaders were probably a lot better on both sides."
McKay had plenty of respect for the Crusaders set-up but said that they had identified areas that could be targeted.
Keys to a repeat of the Reds' 17-16 win in round 15 would be ball retention and a lot of hard work, according to McKay.
"We were talking about it last week, looking at them and saying they're actually pretty good. Well, that's why they're in the finals," he said.
"There are a few weaknesses there, but it will be a case of us rolling up our sleeves, working really hard and us executing really well. So it's not a case of changing drastically."
"They're a team that put enormous pressure on you to try to turn the ball over, so we'll have to be really, really strong in that area and if we are going to give them the ball back it has to be on our terms."