 John Dixon has been Crusaders coach since their inception in 2005 |
John Dixon hopes rugby fans continue to flock to the Brewery Field after his Celtic Crusaders' valiant display against Super League giants St Helens. The top-flight new boys are still without a win in four Super League games but won huge respect in their 4-0 defeat to the 2007 world champions. A crowd of 6,351 watched the biggest game in the Crusaders' short history. "That reflects a quality team came to visit us but hopefully they'll see that we're worth watching too," said Dixon. The Crusaders coach was proud of his players' heroic performance, especially in defence, against a St Helens onslaught on Saturday. Saints wing Tom Armstrong scored the only points of the game just before the hour for a team that has finished top of the Super League table in the past four consecutive seasons. St Helens was the first of rugby league's famous names to visit Bridgend in the Crusaders first season of their three-year Super League franchise.  | 606: DEBATE |
Their record crowd went to watch a Saints squad packed full of world-class names such as Paul Wellens, Sean Long, Leon Pryce and Welshman Keiron Cunningham. But the bumper support left the Brewery Field with a new-found respect for Super League's first Welsh team. "People want to come and watch the best teams in this division play," said Australian Dixon. "Saints are a great side but I'm hoping the crowd will come back to watch us again because they think we've a team here who can compete with the best. "We didn't win the game but we won a lot of respect within ourselves, within Super League and within the sporting community in Wales. "Hopefully people will see we're a footy team that is worth following with players who work hard, dig in and fight for one another." The 6,351 faithful at the Brewery Field compares admirably to the 6,800 who watched the Newport Gwent Dragons lose to Munster in rugby union at Rodney Parade also on Saturday night. "It proves there's room for both of us, league and union," insisted Dixon. British rugby league's other famous names such as Wigan Warriors, Warrington, Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos visit South Wales, a traditional rugby union heartland, when the 15-man code is on its summer break. "What I'm hoping," added Dixon. "Is that when union goes to sleep during the summer, the Welsh people come to us. "As I know they enjoy a good game of rugby whether it is league or union. "Hopefully they'll come to Crusaders on a balmy summer night to watch some guys that can play football. And this team will get better." The Crusaders have lost their four opening Super League fixtures but their battling performance against St Helens has given Dixon hope. "If we play like that, we'll get more wins than losses," said the former Brisbane Broncos assistant coach. "Saints have some real quality players but we worked hard. You can never stop great players but you can limit their impact and I thought our guys did a wonderful job. "We've suffered four defeats but I am pleased as I've never been driven by the end results, we're about being better and improving. "We've got a three-year franchise and we'll get the victories if we keep going the way we are."
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
I've never been driven by the end results, we're about being better and improving.
Bookmark with:
What are these?