Crusaders 2018
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@mariner4life Sexual Chocolate! They play so fine....
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@machpants yea, well what's Read done for us lately? huh? exactly.
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All Blacks Owen Franks and Israel Dagg will finally fire-up their engines in Super Rugby on Saturday.Each has rubbed shoulders with the amateur warriors in club footy over the last two weekends and Franks, whose CV is loaded with 95 test appearances, is straining at the leash.The update on All Blacks loosehead prop Joe Moody was not near as rosy. Ryan confirmed Moody, who fractured a finger playing for his club on April 7, will extend his time on sideline and won't be seen until next month. Moody hasn't played since requiring surgery on his right shoulder in September, but Ryan was optimistic he would represent the Crusaders prior to the All Blacks' test series against France in June. "He is going to be [unavailable for] three to six weeks," Ryan stated. "We are just a little bit unsure at the moment. He is not going to need an operation." Loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett is still working his way through concussion protocols after suffering a head knock against the Lions on April 2. Given the shortage of fit test looseheads, it could make sense for Crockett to come out of retirement for test duty. But he didn't attend the All Blacks' Foundation Day – for South Island players only – in Christchurch on Monday, with Ryan noting he was still recovering from concussion. Centre Jack Goodhue is expected to take a couple of weeks to recover from the hamstring injury he picked-up against the Lions. First five-eighth Richie Mo'unga, who fractured his jaw on March 3, trained with the squad on Tuesday but will not play for his club this weekend. -
@stargazer Noting the discussion on the Chiefs thread, do you know which of the Crusaders ABs still have to miss one or two games. I'm guessing with the injuries so far, we are at least in pretty good shape in this regard.
I don't recall either Codie Taylor or David Havili missing a game yet - nor Drummond. Sam Whitelock has missed one - Scott Barrett and Luke Romano similarly. I'm thinking everyone else has missed at least two - Goodhue about to.
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@chris-b I think you're correct with respect to all players.
Considering they're playing the Sunwolves this weekend, I expect at least one of the locks to get a rest on Saturday. If Dagg indeed returns this weekend, they might give Havili a rest, too. Maybe Taylor, too?
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@stargazer Yeah - surely a good opportunity to rest one or two, though I'm always a bit apprehensive of disaster striking!
It is a great pity that Joe Moody got re-injured, because with him and Franks in the mix, it's not a stretch to rest Codie.
Definitely, one of the locks should sit this one out and maybe this is the game to bite the bullet and give Sam Whitelock a rest - or wait until he potentially picks up another enforced rest?
If Tamanivalu is fit then we could surely afford to rest Havili - Seta, Dagg, Bridge and Mataele can cover the back three.
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It was also likely that first five-eighths Richie Mo'unga, who suffered a broken jaw, will be only a week or two away from playing again.http://superrugby.co.nz/News/32291/crusaders-expect-highlanders-edge-from-sunwolves
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@stargazer Yeah - I heard Razor interviewed on Radiosport and he seemed to intimate that Richie will be coming back next week.
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/radiosport/2018.04.19-16.15.00-S.mp3
From 5.10 in the link - talks a bit about Kieran Read's recovery, Franks and Dagg coming back, the guys who are rested this week, playing young guys and how to do it, Strange, Blackadder and Stratton, first fives and Richie coming back.
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Richie Mo'unga's enforced break may soon be over.The first-five, who recently required a minor operation on the plate that had been inserted in his jaw, will be monitored this week and if medical staff are happy with his progress he could be asked to travel with the squad when they leave Christchurch on Thursday.In regards to Mo'unga, the welcome news is he has been active at training and the sight of him not avoiding contact suggests his confidence is high. Robertson is also poised to power-up his forward pack, bringing back captain and lock Sam Whitelock, hooker Codie Taylor, No 8 Jordan Taufua, and blindside flanker Heiden Bedwell-Curtis if he is preferred ahead of Pete Samu. Leg injuries suffered by hooker Ben Funnell and Tom Sanders, the pair were forced to retire against the Sunwolves, are expected to sideline them for a period of time while loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett was a late withdrawal because of concussion. The backline should welcome back fullback David Havili, but centre Jack Goodhue may be given longer to recover from the hamstring problem incurred against the Lions on April 2. -
Bugger, possibly no Mo'unga this week.
Meanwhile, assistant backs coach Ronan O'Gara said first five-eighth Richie Mo'unga may be asked to hold off his comeback for another week. Mo'unga hasn't played since fracturing his jaw against the Stormers on March 9. Centre Jack Goodhue (hamstring) is also an unlikely starter. Details of the injuries to Ben Funnell (knee) and Tom Sanders (ankle), who left the park against the Sunwolves, have yet to be released. There is no chance of them playing this weekend.Interesting info about the treatment Dagg needed for his knee - stem cell therapy to regenerate cartilage - and having to adjust his running style.
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A dinged-up Israel Dagg must undergo medical assessments before knowing how long it will be before he gets another chance to challenge for an All Blacks jersey."With Daisy expecting their second baby, he was going to go home anyway," Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said. "Our thoughts are with him, because he has worked so bloody hard to get back and now we just hope it is only a little tweak and that he is only out for a few weeks."Dagg won't lack company in the Crusaders' injury ward. While the squad travelled from Canberra to Sydney, they will be based near the beach in the suburb of Coogee before relocating to Melbourne ahead of their next match against the Rebels, All Blacks lock Luke Romano was in the Garden City waiting to hear how long a high ankle sprain will force him to stay on the sidelines. Romano suffered the injury in training before the game against the Brumbies, and could potentially be out for a significant period of time; his chances of being fit for the All Blacks' series against France in June appear remote. "It is not broken, as we first thought, and he will get an MRI scan on Monday to find exactly what the problem is," Robertson confirmed. All Blacks loosehead prop Tim Perry also pulled a hamstring in the opening minutes of the game in Canberra, and Harry Allen has been asked to join the squad as cover. Matt Dunsea will replace Romano. Romano's major setback comes in the wake of fellow forwards Ben Funnell, Oli Jager and Tom Sanders suffering significant injuries in recent weeks. All Blacks captain Kieran Read won't be sighted in Super Rugby until after June - if it all.But there is also good news on the horizon for Robertson and the All Blacks selectors. First five-eighth Richie Mo'unga is finally set to make his comeback after fracturing his jaw against the Stormers on March 3. Another international, centre Jack Goodhue, will also join the squad after recovering from a pulled hamstring. -
@stargazer Richard Knowler just listened to the same interview on Radiosport that I did!
If you want to hear exactly what Razor has to say it starts at 3 minutes.
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/radiosport/2018.04.29-12.45.00-S.mp3
Peni has been cited for the tackle on Dagg.
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Joe Moody played clubrugby on Saturday! That's good news!
Caption:
Was pretty pumped to get back out on the field after a 7 month lay off. We got done like a dinner but was awesome to play with the Lincoln Massive boys again. #noinjuries #blewoutthecobwebs #countryrugby #lincolnmassive -
@stargazer how cool would it be for those guys having him run out with them though, something that used to be so common.
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Because hooker Taylor and lock Barrett have only missed one match to date, and five of the Crusaders' remaining six games promise to be vigorous affairs against their New Zealand counterparts, there could be a case to let them bunk the fixture against the Waratahs in Christchurch on Saturday night. It's an argument that falls flat when presented to Crusaders assistant forwards coach Jason Ryan; he reckons they must wheel out their big beasts for this encounter, an indication that all fit All Blacks will be required for duty.The Crusaders could select a forward pack stacked with six All Blacks. Loosehead prop Joe Moody has been confirmed as available for selection, welcome news after almost nine months away because of injuries. If Taylor plays the Waratahs, it means Andrew Makalio must start against one of the other four New Zealand teams down the track. With Ben Funnell suffering a season-ending knee injury, Makalio's value to the front row club is even more significant. Sebastian Siataga, contracted to Bay of Plenty, has been brought in as a replacement for Funnell.Backs Ryan Crotty, David Havili and Mitchell Drummond, having played nine games, are also owed a game off at some point. Havili didn't train on Monday following a head knock in the 55-10 win over the Rebels last weekendLeaning on a fence to watch training at Rugby Park on Monday was All Blacks defence coach Scott McLeod. Earlier in the day Mike Cron was also an observer. "They just come in, pretty freely when they want to and get around all the franchises," Ryan stated. "They just come in to see what we are working on, and if they can add any help." -
@stargazer I think it would be silly not to rest one or two All Blacks for this fixture.
I think you could easily start Bryn Hall, with Stratton on the bench. A rest to freshen up Drummond might do him good (if he's actually required to miss two games - I wonder who exactly are on the lists of "Must Miss ABs". Might be less people than we think).
I'd be inclined to rest Codie Taylor for this one. They're going to have to play the Makalio/Satiaga combo at some point. Better to do it now in case Makalio gets injured.
We've got two games against the Blues, which should offer similar opportunities to rest one or two guys. In particular, our very last game is at home vs the Blues, so we could delay a few key rests to see how the season unfolds re. injuries and qualifying. E.g. Crotty and Barrett.
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@taniwharugby said in Crusaders 2018:
@stargazer how cool would it be for those guys having him run out with them though, something that used to be so common.
Love that they fined him for forgetting his tie. You're never too big.
