Crusaders 2020
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We now know Robertson is staying,Blackadder is injured.
The starting 15 may look a little different
Havalli May start in tandem with Harmon
Or we see Barrett/ Dushea starting at 6 With Strange to move into lock.
David Havalli May get time at 12 in combination with Goodhue and Ennor when Goodhue has down time giving Jordan a decent run at Fullback.
For me props underneath the starting pair, Loose Forwards a couple need to really stand up
And of course A extended lose of Mounga will hurt.
I don’t see us winning this season but a development year I agree with that.
Good assessment but I don’t think the Blues are going to top the NZ conference even with Barrett that’s going to take more time.
There is a lot of still unresolved issues at the Blues . -
@Chris Yeah - I missed that ending bit of the Blues winning the NZ conference - even with Leon's brilliance that might be a bit beyond them - especially since Beaudy is skipping a decent part of the season.
I think it will be a battle between the Chiefs and the Crusaders - dependent on whether Razor can get a significantly less experienced forward pack to fire and what Gatland can do with the Chiefs.
Don't see Scott Barrett starting anywhere but lock. Strange and Romano (or Dunshea) aren't going to command that he shift. I wouldn't mind seeing Dunshea playing blindside or 8 - he was very good there vs The B&I Lions a couple of years ago.
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I worry about the balance of our pack. Under Robertson we've generally had a good ball runner or two in the starting pack, and one coming off the bench. This has complemented our generally strong set piece.
With Pete Samu leaving at the end of 2018, and Jordan Taufua , Kieran Read and Matt Todd leaving at the end of this year, we are going to miss their ability with ball in hand. Billy Harmon, Ethan Blackadder (injured) and Tom Sanders simply don't provide that balance in attack as ball-runners. Whetu Douglas suddenly becomes very valuable as a ball running option, but he will need some help.
Luke Romano's running game has improved with age so he could play a role. What's Sione Havili like with ball in hand?
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@Cantab79 said in Crusaders 2020:
I worry about the balance of our pack. Under Robertson we've generally had a good ball runner or two in the starting pack, and one coming off the bench. This has complemented our generally strong set piece.
With Pete Samu leaving at the end of 2018, and Jordan Taufua , Kieran Read and Matt Todd leaving at the end of this year, we are going to miss their ability with ball in hand. Billy Harmon, Ethan Blackadder (injured) and Tom Sanders simply don't provide that balance in attack as ball-runners. Whetu Douglas suddenly becomes very valuable as a ball running option, but he will need some help.
Luke Romano's running game has improved with age so he could play a role. What's Sione Havili like with ball in hand?
Havalli is ok with the ball in hand Ethan Roots as well.I think a move for Barrett or Dunshea to 6 may help with a ball in hand option.
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2020:
@Chris Maybe - but, with Sam and Brodie not playing Super rugby - Scott Barrett will basically be NZ's premier lock in Super rugby.
I just don't see him playing at 6 being a good option.
Will have to wait and see just something I heard out of the camp as an option being considered
I suppose it will depend on how the other 6s get through the pre season games
Geoff Cridge a lock has been added To the training squad as cover for Blackadder a LF which may point to their thinking. -
I'd normally be very much opposed to Scott Barrett playing at 6. But it could work for the Crusaders in 2020. Our backrow stocks are so depleted that there isn't anyone who can legitimately lay claim to the no.6 jersey. Ethan Blackadder has been around the squad for a while but is injured, and poor Tom Sanders has hardly set Super Rugby alight thus far during his injury plagued career.
Given we have reasonable depth at lock, with Romano, Dunshea and Strange all quality players at this level, it might just be that getting our best XV on the field means switching Barrett to 6. Other positives include it being potentially easier to captain the team from the side of the scrum than in the engine room, Scott Barrett being a decent ball runner which would balance our backrow and the fact that he's generally been a better lifter than target at lineout time.
Anyway, it's all food for thought. We have more experience and quality at lock than any other position and moving Barrett to blindside might just sure up what will be an extremely green backrow.
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@Cantab79 I'd like to see Dunshea tried in the backrow, before we resort to shifting Barrett.
Aside from anything else - Barrett is the future of our locking stocks, with Romano and Sammy W. getting older, so I'm not convinced using him to block the development of our future loose forwards is a great idea. I think we need to bite the bullet and give Sanders and Blackadder their shots.
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2020:
@Cantab79 I'd like to see Dunshea tried in the backrow, before we resort to shifting Barrett.
Aside from anything else - Barrett is the future of our locking stocks, with Romano and Sammy W. getting older, so I'm not convinced using him to block the development of our future loose forwards is a great idea. I think we need to bite the bullet and give Sanders and Blackadder their shots.
Blackadder is pretty much gone for the majority of SR with his Recovery from Shoulder surgery,otherwise he would have gotten first Shot at 6.Therefore the thinking Barrett or Dunshea might get a chance at 6.
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Tom Sanders turns 26 early next season. He's been playing provincial Rugby since 2014 and has been a Super Rugby player since 2016. The time is right for him to step up and show that he belongs at this level. It's now or never. With Blackadder gone, I think it'll be between Sanders and Barrett for the no.6 jersey. Dunshea is quite quick for a tall man, but I'm not convinced he has the mobility to play as a flanker at SR level.
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@Chris said in Crusaders 2020:
Canterbury u/19 Lock Sam Darry is training with the crusaders in pre-season,
some big raps on Sam. At 2.03 Cm he has height.Good to hear, will keep an eye out for him into the future. It's great to have locks who are 2 metre plus in our system. He might struggle to get any gametime this season as lock is one position where we have strong depth. Even with Whitelock missing for Super Rugby season 2020 we still have four high quality locks in Barrett, Romano, Strange and Dunshea.
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@Higgins I agree. Also, it's more indicative of who are considered back-ups of squad members in case of injury, if you look at who's still training with the squad once the ABs have returned from their break, this Monday.
Geoff Cridge and Sam Darry (and other non-squad locks) will only see game time if more than one of the locks in the squad (Barrett, Strange, Romano, Dunshea; maybe Grace) suffers an injury.
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@Chris Sam Gilbert told me he was training before Xmas. He’s only there to make up the numbers until sevu and bridge come back. They do it so they can have live trainings , enough people in the drills etc.
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@chchfanatic said in Crusaders 2020:
@Chris Sam Gilbert told me he was training before Xmas. He’s only there to make up the numbers until sevu and bridge come back. They do it so they can have live trainings , enough people in the drills etc.
That makes lots of sense. Also allows the Super Rugby coaches to get a look at some of these developing players and gets these players familiar with the patterns/calls used by the Crusaders, making it easier for them if/when they do make the step up to SR level.
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