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Crusaders call back two All Black powerhouses

Super Rugby team the Crusaders

The Crusaders’ horsemen may be missing but it hasn’t stopped them rolling out the cavalry in the front row stocks to face the Brumbies in Christchurch.

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Coach Scott Robertson has welcomed back All Blacks starting props Owen Franks and Joe Moody from injury for Saturday’s game, the first in the city since the March 15 mosque attacks.

It will be the first game that doesn’t feature the imagery and branding that has accompanied the triumphant history of the nine-time champions.

New Zealand Rugby said the sword-wielding knights and horses are no longer tenable because of their association with the series of wars against Muslims of nearly 1000 years ago known as the “Crusades”.

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The team’s name will be independently assessed and could also change before the 2020 season.

That off-field distraction won’t stop Robertson’s team providing a typically formidable opposition to the Brumbies.

Robertson has such depth at his disposal that he can afford to shift v eteran lock Sam Whitelock to the bench and omit star outside centre Jack Goodhue altogether as he rotates his resources.

All Blacks skipper Kieran Read takes over the captaincy from Whitelock.

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Flanker Ethan Blackadder will make his first start this season while it is the 150th Crusaders match for scrummaging powerhouse Franks.

Crusaders: David Havili, Will Jordan, Tim Bateman, Ryan Crotty, Sevu Reece, Richie Mo’unga, Mitchell Drummond, Kieran Read (capt), Matt Todd, Ethan Blackadder, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Res: Ben Funnell, Harry Allan, Michael Alaalatoa, Sam Whitelock, Jordan Taufua, Bryn Hall, Brett Cameron, Leicester Faingaanuku.

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Nickers 29 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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