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Crusaders Cullen Grace and George Bower in action during the round nine Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Crusaders and the Blues at Orangetheory Stadium in April 2021.
But as well as being “motivating and energising” for the team, home supporters could even help sway a referee on 50/50 decisions, Miles said.
“Certain players report enjoying playing at home, they feel more confident, and they appreciate having that crowd support,” he said.
“The Crusaders have won almost 60 per cent of all their matches, but when playing at home that number is over 80 per cent.
“So even a consistently successful team like the Crusaders has greater success when playing at home.”