Liam Gill will be a pivotal figure for the Reds against the Crusaders. Picture: Bradley Kanaris Source: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images
AS a schoolboy, Reds trump Liam Gill devoured video of master flankers Richie McCaw, George Smith and David Pocock like a pupil immersed in reading an instruction manual.
Nothing quite beats co-starring in the videos as he does these days because he can relate so much more to his own performance.
That Gill, at 21, is such a pivotal figure in tonight's sudden-death qualifying final in Christchurch says it all about how expert he has become so quickly.
It was a case of "The Kid v The King" last season on the same patch when he duelled strongly with Crusaders icon McCaw in the second half.
Gill will have his hands full tonight with starting flanker Matt Todd but is certain McCaw will be injected as a game-changer off the bench, as he was last season for 36 influential minutes.
"I've watched video of last year's match quite a few times," Gill said.
"Just watching the decisions Richie made, the way he protects his No.10 (Dan Carter) and the support lines he runs was another part of my sharp learning curve.
"He's everywhere with his impact. He can be the quickest to the ball or he can move bodies with his size.
"I enjoyed it all and can't wait for another crack at the Crusaders just like all the boys heading into this final."
The fancy stuff will make the highlights reel but it is harassment across the park that is the key to a huge Reds upset.
Last year, two Crusaders kicks were charged down, classy fullback Israel Dagg's handling let him down with tacklers zeroing in and the Reds were in it to the death.
The Reds have Wallabies throughout their own tight five and they have to play like it to assert authority because the all-All Blacks tight five certainly will.
As much as the Crusaders can be fortified by their 14-0 record in finals matches in Christchurch, they know the Reds have the firepower to cause trouble on a cold, dry 6C evening.
Crusaders captain Kieran Read said swarming pressure on Reds halfback Will Genia was as important in the 75th minute as the first.
"We've talked about it. He's the best halfback in the world, I guess," Read said.
"We have to be pretty connected and spot-on around the rucks."
It was Genia who settled the 2011 Super Rugby final against the Crusaders. He speared through on the inside when Dan Carter overtracked in defence, beat McCaw for good measure and took off on a 60m solo run into history.
"No one player decides the result but you do need your big players to front on the big occasions," coach Ewen Mckenzie said of Genia and Quade Cooper.
McKenzie shrewdly mapped out pre-season trials against the Crusaders in 2010-11 to add to the contact in regular season games.
"Part of the idea was to play the Crusaders as often as we could, get our guys familiar with playing them and help inoculate ourselves against their best players," McKenzie said.
"We have plenty of guys who want to put their hands up in this final and we've got one of the best defences in the comp so we want to use that too."
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