Crusaders v Sunwolves
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1 Tim Perry
2 Ben Funnell
3 Owen Franks
4 Scott Barrett
5 Quinten Strange
6 Ethan Blackadder*
7 Matt Todd (C)
8 Tom Sanders
9 Mitchell Drummond
10 Mike Delany
11 Manasa Mataele
12 Ryan Crotty (VC)
13 Tim Bateman
14 Israel Dagg
15 George BridgeReserves
16 Andrew Makalio
17 Wyatt Crockett
18 Chris King
19 Luke Romano
20 Pete Samu
21 Jack Stratton*
22 Mitchell Hunt
23 Seta Tamanivalu*denotes debut
BNZ Crusaders team named to play the Sunwolves
The BNZ Crusaders return to AMI Stadium this weekend, following their successful tour to South Africa and Argentina in recent weeks. The side are preparing to take on the Sunwolves in Christchurch on Saturday night. Head Coach Scott Robertson has made a number of changes to his starting team for this match, including the highly-anticipated return of experienced All Blacks and Super Rugby centurions Owen Franks and Israel Dagg. Franks makes his return from an Achilles injury and joins Ben Funnell and Tim Perry as the starting front row. At lock, Scott Barrett and Quinten Strange earn starts this week, and Luke Romano will provide cover in the reserves. Regular captain Sam Whitelock will be rested this week, meaning flanker Matt Todd will take over the captaincy for this match. In the back row, Tom Sanders shifts from the blindside to No. 8, making way for 23 year-old Ethan Blackadder to make his Investec Super Rugby debut in the No. 6 jersey on Saturday night. Robertson has also reshuffled the back line, which sees Manasa Mataele shift from the right to left wing for this match. Dagg slots in on the right wing, having recovered from his knee injury, and George Bridge will move to the fullback position. Mitchell Drummond will start at halfback, and Mike Delany at first five-eighth, with Mitch Hunt to provide first-five cover for Delany on the bench. In the reserves, halfback Jack Stratton could be set to make his Super Rugby debut on Saturday night, if called upon from the bench. Kick off is 7:35pm, Saturday 21 April, at AMI Stadium in Christchurch. -
Team to play the Sunwolves:
George Bridge, Israel Dagg, Tim Bateman, Ryan Crotty, Manasa Mataele, Mike Delany, Mitchell Drummond, Tom Sanders, Matt Todd, Ethan Blackadder, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett, Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Tim Perry. Reserves: Andrew Makalio, Wyatt Crockett, Chris King, Luke Romano, Pete Samu, Jack Stratton, Mitchell Hunt, Seta Tamanivalu.
Razor rolling the dice a bit with Taylor, Havili, Hall and Sam Whitelock all rested, plus Delaney, Strange and Ethan Blackadder given starts (ahead of Hunt and Samu).
Team still looks, hopefully, solid enough to take care of the Sunwolves and there's a bit of cavalry on the bench.
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Owen and Izzy are back!
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@antipodean Yes, great to have some All Blacks back playing again! I don't like it all that so many are still not playing with the June Series starting in less than 2 months!
The Saders are resting quite a few players at the same time: All Blacks Taylor, Whitelock & Havili, but also Alaalatoa & Hall. Not confirmed, but I assume Taufua is injured (and that Alaalatoa & Hall are not).
Also still injured: Moody, Jager, Read, Mo'unga, Goodhue & maybe some of the fringe players (not sure whether Dunshea is still injured). -
@antipodean said in Crusaders v Sunwolves:
Owen and Izzy are back!
Yes Boy!
It'll be a cricket score, that's a good looking saders - injuries permitting. Just lack of Mo'unga will hold them back a bit.
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Sunwolves
15 William Tupou, 14 Hosea Saumaki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Lappies Labuschagne (c), 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 James Moore, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Craig MillarReserves: 16 Yusuke Niwai, 17 Shintaro Ishihara, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Sam Wykes, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Ryoto Nakamura, 23 Semisi Masirewa
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@stargazer That's a pretty international-looking Sunwolves starting 15 to face the Saders.
Be interesting to see how Little goes. -
@stargazer said in Crusaders v Sunwolves:
Sunwolves
15 William Tupou, 14 Hosea Saumaki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Lappies Labuschagne (c), 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 James Moore, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Craig MillarReserves: 16 Yusuke Niwai, 17 Shintaro Ishihara, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Sam Wykes, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Ryoto Nakamura, 23 Semisi Masirewa
Must be awkward for the captain to be named after something a stripper does.
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@machpants said in Crusaders v Sunwolves:
@antipodean said in Crusaders v Sunwolves:
Owen and Izzy are back!
Yes Boy!
It'll be a cricket score, that's a good looking saders - injuries permitting. Just lack of Mo'unga will hold them back a bit.
Interestingly, this week I'm certain we can pick a better starting XV from the guys who aren't playing:
Moody, Taylor, Alaalatoa, Whitelock, Dunshea, Taufua, Harmon, Read, Hall, Mo'unga, Havili, Goodhue, Macilai, Ennor, Jordan
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Thunder, lightning, hail.
@MajorRage Parker and Little are good SW players...
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Or is there a third?
