'Couldn't script it better': Blues, Crusaders relish Super showdown

Blues playmaker Beauden Barrett declared it is "the final everyone wanted" as his team, and the Crusaders set about patching up their wounded Sunday for next weekend's Super Rugby Pacific showdown.

The Blues, who will host the decider, scraped through with a tense 20-19 semi-final win against the Brumbies in Auckland on Saturday, a day after the Crusaders' torrid 20-7 victory over the Chiefs.

"There's everything to play for, so you couldn't script it any better," said Blues coach Leon MacDonald.

It is not only the teams' honour at stake, with MacDonald against his opposite number Scott Robertson for the first time in a final after they won four Super crowns together as players and coaches.

The Crusaders are searching for a 13th title and sixth in six years, while the Blues are chasing their fourth championship and first since 2003 when they beat a Crusaders side featuring Robertson and MacDonald.

"There'll be plenty of (emotion) in the media -- especially social media," said Barrett, whose brother Scott captains the Crusaders.

"How well we stay focused and prepare is so critical this week, and not letting any of that external noise divert our attention."

MacDonald, who left his role as assistant coach at the Crusaders to join the Blues in 2019, has already masterminded a 27-23 win over his old team in Christchurch this year but said that counted for little in the final.

"This is their bread and butter. They love finals rugby," he said of the Crusaders, where he played in six championship-winning sides, including two with Robertson.

"We need to be massive defensively, disciplined, the stuff that wins you finals ... You can't take your foot off the throat, you can't relax.

"In my time at the Crusaders, we loved to come here and play