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Crusaders name rookie loose forward to start against the Highlanders
By Ben Smith
The Crusaders have made a back row re-shuffle for their trip to face the Highlanders as they look to continue their hot form after beating the Blues on the buzzer last week.
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Riding a three-game winning streak, the Crusaders travel to Dunedin with confidence after surging to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.
21-year-old Xavier Saifoloi will start at blindside next to the experience of Tom Christie and Christian Lio-Willie. All Black loose forward Ethan Blackadder has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The 6’5 rookie will start his first Super game after two appearances off the bench so far in his debut season.
Last week’s standout prop Tamaiti Williams moves to the bench with George Bower starting at loosehead.
In the midfield Dallas McLeod starts at No.13 alongside David Havili, with Sevu Reece moving to the right wing.
The Crusaders are looking to avoid back-to-back defeats to the Highlanders for the first time since 2016 as they prepare for the first Southern Derby of the year.
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“It was a tough gig on Friday night against the Blues – they were impressive, and we had to dig deep – we’re expecting no different this week as we head down to the Highlanders,” Penney says.
“They’ll be hurting, and they’ll be up for red and black travelling south because they always are.”
Crusaders team to face the Highlanders:
1. George Bower
2. Codie Taylor (vc)
3. Fletcher Newell
4. Scott Barrett
5. Jamie Hannah
6. Xavier Saifoloi
7. Tom Christie
8. Christian Lio-Willie
9. Noah Hotham
10. Taha Kemara
11. Macca Springer
12. David Havili (c)
13. Dallas McLeod
14. Sevu Reece
15. Will Jordan (vc)
Impact
16. Ioane Moananu
17. Tamaiti Williams
18. Kershawl Sykes-Martin
19. Tahlor Cahill
20. Corey Kellow
21. Kyle Preston
22. Rivez Reihana
23. Chay Fihaki
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Saifoloi will add some much needed threat to the Crusaders attack, this could be just the right timing to catch other teams out like how the Chiefs did with Sititi last year.
Just what the Highlanders didn’t need from Penney as this game, and most others, become must win games for their playoff spot.
I thought the Crusaders were playing the Highlanders this week and not the Chiefs. It doesn’t actually matter where their personnel originally came from. In any case every franchise has players born outside their area do they not??
Lol posting on the wrong article? What did it used to say?
Great point . Thing is I could not care less who the Chiefs or other NZ teams pick week to week.But they love commenting on who the Crusaders pick, inevitably from a negative angle. The old saying of just worry about your own back yard does not apply to them.
Good Crusaders side named. Macca Springer deserves a start on the wing. Strong midfield of captain David Havili and Dallas McLeod. Tom Christie will step up, he always does as when he started in previous games this year.Top bench , likes of Kyle Preston, in form Corey Kellow. Corey is playing great rugby.Then there is Ioane Moananu.Big game for Xavier Saifoilo, getting his first start.
Saifoloi ..great import from Mooloo land after Hotham and Kemara. Too much depth up North ..Had to go somewhere.
Hahahahaha, and people still genuinely believe Blackadder’ll still crack the ABs this year.
Too funny huh, must have injured himself in one of his heroic tackles last week where he had to extend his body to the limits.
What are you on ? Ethan Blackadder has been in outstanding form, 26 tackles against the Blues last week. The injury is not serious and he will get in the All Blacks. He has not missed many games for the Crusaders this year at all.