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Crusaders to unleash massive teenage star in first match of the year

Leicester Faingaanuku. Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

The Crusaders will take the field for the first time in 2019, when they play the Hurricanes this weekend in the first of two pre-season fixtures ahead of this year’s Super Rugby campaign.

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Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named a squad of 30 players to travel north for the match which will be played at Levin Domain.

Loose forwards Whetukamokamo Douglas and Jordan Taufua have been named Captains for the first and second halves respectively. The travelling squad also features a number of new players who are set to wear the Crusaders jersey for the first time – including barnstorming 19-year-old winger Leicester Faingaanuku, who earns a start on the left wing.

The former New Zealand Schools and U20 representative is listed at 1.88m tall and 109kg, making him the heaviest back in the side by a wide margin.

Robertson said after a long pre-season, the squad is excited to finally be taking the field on Saturday afternoon: “The group has prepared really well over a long period of time leading up to this game, and suddenly a fixture that seemed so far away pre-Christmas, is upon is.

“We’ve done a lot of work getting our contact right so the boys are fully prepared to climb into their work on Saturday. The Hurricanes are always really physical but this group is ready for the challenge and Levin is a great place to play,” Robertson said.

The Crusaders pre-season match versus the Hurricanes is due to kick off at 3pm, Saturday 2nd February, at Levin Domain.

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Crusaders team to play the Hurricanes:
1. Tim Perry
2. Andrew Makalio
3. Michael Alaalatoa
4. Mitchell Dunshea
5. Quinten Strange
6. Tom Sanders
7. Billy Harmon
8. Whetu Douglas (C)
9. Bryn Hall (VC)
10. Mitchell Hunt
11. Leicester Faingaanuku
12. Dallas McLeod
13. Braydon Ennor
14. Manasa Mataele
15. David Havili
Reserves:
Isi Tu’ungafasi, Ben Funnell, George Bower, Luke Romano, John Akau’ola-Laula, Jordan Taufua (C), Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Mitchell Drummond (VC), Brett Cameron, Ngane Punivai, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan, Ere Enari, Fergus Burke.

Rugby World Cup City Guides – Oita:

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Nickers 33 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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