The Crusaders are confident their epic journey is far from over as they approach another fork in the road of a long Super Rugby campaign.

Coach Todd Blackadder senses his team are ready to defy history and win their away semi-final against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday night (early Sunday AEST), setting up a final against the winner of the Queensland Reds-Blues clash.

"We are in great shape physically and mentally," Blackadder said after a season in which the Crusaders have travelled an estimated 82,000km and played all their home matches on the road because of earthquake damage to their Christchurch ground.

"I think we have travelled well. Everyone has orientated themselves and we have had a really light week.

"There is a real edge here."

Blackadder said there is little to compare the Crusaders team with the clearly-fatigued 2010 model who lost 39-24 to the Bulls, the eventual champions, in the semi-finals.

"There is a real desire and hunger, which is probably different from the past two years," he said.

History suggests the Crusaders face a wall too high because it has been 11 years since a home side lost a Super Rugby play-off match.

But that, and the disruptive nature of their season, serve only to motivate the players, according to hooker Corey Flynn, who is set to play his 100th match for the franchise.

"The things we've had to get over this year have instilled a huge amount of belief," said Flynn, the team's confidence boosted by their 19-6 win over the Stormers in May at the same venue.

"A lot of people say we can't do it. It's never been done before.

"My attitude is just because it's never been done doesn't mean it can't be done."

The Crusaders have timed their injury run nicely, getting captain Richie McCaw back after being sidelined for the past month because of a foot injury.

As well, fellow All Blacks' loose forward Kieran Read, who led the side in McCaw's absence, will front against the Stormers after overcoming an ankle injury.

The Stormers are the only team in the final four never to have won a Super Rugby title and their coach, Allister Coetzee, knows they will need to bring their A game to give themselves the opportunity to create history.

"In last year's semi-final against the Waratahs, we simply overpowered them, but the Crusaders aren't a team that will be out-muscled in the same way," Coetzee told South African media.

"To beat them, of course, we'll need physical intensity but, more importantly, tactically we'll have to be smarter than them.

"When we lost to them earlier this year, physicality wasn't an issue but we made some mistakes that cost us. The Crusaders have class all over the field and, with (Dan) Carter operating at flyhalf, they're going to be formidable."

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