Crusaders 2020
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@sparky I think the starting XV will be just as strong as last season, because the Crusaders played without their first choice players for large parts of the 2019 season (due to AB rest periods, extended breaks and injury). Their depth will be tested though, unlike before, because some of the new lads are pretty raw. But if anyone can get the best out of players, including rookies, it's Razor.
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The key will be Mo'unga. I'm pretty sure that Razor hasn't lost a game when Mo'unga has started.
Our forwards have been matched or bettered in a few games over the last couple of years but our backs have been the difference maker, and Mo'unga's clinical conversion of opportunities to points has been a massive part of that.
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Well, colour me underwhelmed. With the forwards anyway, and in the five-eighths. I guess I was hoping hoping hoping there'd be a surprise or two sprung and we'd have some instant depth added at prop after losing Franks, Perry and Crockett in recent times, and find a truly big (tall and solid) lock to replace Whitelock, but we've come up short in both departments.
There is definitely a depth issue at prop, so Jason Ryan will need to continue working his magic with the inexperienced group we have and hope we don't get exposed. Good experience at lock but Strange is the only guy over 2m, and he's not really a 'grunter'. Romano is a grunter but who knows how long his legs will last now. We could potentially field some relatively short locking combinations, but we might be able to add depth to our line-out by using Blackadder, Grace and Roots on the blindside.
Depth at 10 is a big worry. Losing Mo'unga for any length of time could be disastrous if Cameron can't play better than he did vs NSW last season, and Burke's handful of good moments in the NPC were as outside back cover. I'd almost have picked up O'Malley from Ta$man as another option. At 12 we have to either blood a rookie, one of whom spent most of the NPC on the wing, or work-up a combination between Ennor and Goodhue or Havili'i and Goodhue. A couple of times in the NPC I bemoaned on the boards what Maddock was doing with McLeod, Burke and also Sam Gilbert, specifically because it was so obvious they needed to be blooded properly in their preferred positions with an eye on Crusaders selection. And boom, here we are.
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@shark After watching David Havili play at 10 for Ta$man, I'm seriously wondering whether he should shift to 10 in case Mo'unga goes down with a serious injury, especially in the big games. I think his experience will help the decision-making that is so crucial at first five. On the other hand, he could also be valuable at 12 in those circumstances (telling Cameron what to do if things don't go well).
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@shark I hope a lot of those young guys - Burke, McLeod, Finau, Grace have been mainly picked on development potential and we won't have to use them much this year. If we do, I think we'll be in trouble.
I've seen Grace's name pop up here occasionally over the past few years as one to watch, so let's hope that comes true.
The most exciting new signing that we didn't know about might be Fetuli Paea. I was very impressed with him for Ta$man - though it's a decent jump to Super rugby - or, at least, it used to be.
Seems to be a real scarcity of genuine second five options around NZ.
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@Stargazer crusaders rebranding comes out today. Something different but pretty good.
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Please tell me this is it!!!
Comedy!https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/117811512/could-this-be-the-new-crusaders-logo
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@Toddy I didn't make that association at all when I first saw that symbol, but I can see why some people will, although it's a bit far-fetched. If you look at something close enough, it will always look like something else or remind you of something.
Anyway, I think it looks pretty good.
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@Stargazer said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo Comedy? Why? What's the meaning of this symbol?
C Crusaders = Comedy Crusaders. Is that not how they are marketing it?
It looks rubbish!!!
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@Hooroo said in Crusaders 2020:
@Stargazer said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo Comedy? Why? What's the meaning of this symbol?
C Crusaders = Comedy Crusaders. Is that not how they are marketing it?
It looks rubbish!!!
it's a bit shit
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@mariner4life said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo said in Crusaders 2020:
@Stargazer said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo Comedy? Why? What's the meaning of this symbol?
C Crusaders = Comedy Crusaders. Is that not how they are marketing it?
It looks rubbish!!!
it's a bit shit
I like how it represents the huge cultural and Maori representation Canterbury has.....
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@Hooroo said in Crusaders 2020:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo said in Crusaders 2020:
@Stargazer said in Crusaders 2020:
@Hooroo Comedy? Why? What's the meaning of this symbol?
C Crusaders = Comedy Crusaders. Is that not how they are marketing it?
It looks rubbish!!!
it's a bit shit
I like how it represent the huge cultural and Maori representation Canterbury has.....
hahaha oh shit!! now you've done it!
