Winning is addictive, and the Crusaders went a long way to preparing the ground for a second Super Rugby Aotearoa title with a 43-27 win over the Blues on Sunday at Eden Park.
Success became habitual after a while, and it was a feeling the side enjoyed, coach Scott Robertson said, but even during a winning run, there were reminders when the side wasn't quite 'on', and staying 'on' was the side's motivation.
The Crusaders ended the first half of the competition having won four consecutive games, and, now with the bye week, they had a chance to regroup and reassess the second phase of their campaign.
The Blues were shaping as the most likely contender to their championship aspirations and had shown their depth in Sunday's game.
Robertson said having played in finals where the Crusaders had won either by performing off the back of defence or scoring tries or penalty goals, it was a case of finding the best way to get a result.
They knew that after scoring points, they had to keep the ball because the Blues were capable of taking advantage of an unforced error, and there had been a moment like that when the potential for that to happen was alive.
But they had managed to keep control when that happened, and the side's leaders had assessed the moment correctly.
Robertson said games like that against the Blues meant fans got to see how first five-eighths Richie Mo'unga ran the team.
"He's extremely passionate about his performance, and getting everyone to perform at a high level. He cares deeply about his own preparation, and the team's. He's important to us, we love him," he said.
Robertson was pleased with how the Crusaders absorbed pressure during the first half, and while on the receiving end of possession and position statistics, they still turned with a 17-8 lead at halftime.
"After a couple of false starts, we got there, didn't we? It was a hell of a game for us, coming to Eden Park, where there is so much history and tradition.
"There was a lot of hype, it was building up to a big contest which our country needs in rugby," he said.
"We built pressure with the points…Once we got that part right, we were great. We held the ball, and put pressure on the Blues for a long period. It's hard to defend for long periods without giving a penalty away, and we managed to put a lot of pressure on them in that area," he said.