Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will try to keep his side as fresh as possible ahead of the Super Rugby final against the Lions in Christchurch on Saturday.

The eight-time champions progressed to the decider after home playoff wins against the Sharks and Hurricanes.

The Crusaders made 109 and 90 tackles in the respective matches, which will influence their preparation for the final.

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‘You have to get the balance of the week right, physically and emotionally,’ Robertson told reporters on Monday. ‘We have to make sure we build for Saturday night and that is something we are really good at.

‘We have had a big four weeks at home and made a lot of tackles against those teams. Defence has been a huge part of it and it takes a lot of out of you.

‘You sit with the boys and reflect on what you did during the week and what went right. Then you think about the opportunities ahead of us, and it all starts again. And then you go to work and climb into it.’

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