Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Recap: Crusaders v Highlanders LIVE | Super Rugby

Crusaders v Highlanders Live Match Centre

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Highlanders at Orangetheory Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).

Injury has prevented Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson from retaining the same starting XV that soared to a 25-8 victory over the Blues at Eden Park last week.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

Subsequently, two changes have been made to the run-on side, with captain Scott Barrett among the casualties alongside Irish tighthead prop Oli Jager.

A knee issue means Barrett has been replaced by former All Blacks veteran Luke Romano in the second row, while the concussion that forced Jager from the field inside the first 10 minutes in Auckland has led to Samoan international Michael Alaalatoa earning selection at No. 3 this week.

The remainder of the Crusaders’ starting team unchanged, although there have been some alterations on the bench.

Alaalatoa’s promotion from the reserves presents an opening for Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s younger brother, Isi, who North Harbour starlet Ethan Roots as the two new forwards on the pine.

ADVERTISEMENT

The only other change to the match day side comes at No. 23, as a groin injury to electric outside back Will Jordan has allowed fellow youngster Leicester Fainga’anuku to return after missing the Blues fixture to play for the Crusaders Development XV.

The Highlanders, meanwhile, have reshuffled their backline in the wake of their last-gasp 23-22 win over the Brumbies in Canberra six days ago.

Head coach Aaron Mauger has shifted Otago skipper Michael Collins to his regular position of fullback after he ran out at centre last week.

In doing so, young Canterbury speedster Josh McKay has been demoted to the bench, while star midfielder Rob Thompson returns to the No. 13 jersey after being a late injury withdrawal for the Brumbies clash.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sio Tomkinson’s three-week suspension for a shoulder charge means former Reds flyer Chris Kuridrani will make his Highlanders debut on the right wing.

One-cap All Blacks flanker Dillon Hunt has dropped out of the Highlanders’ bench to captain the franchise’s development team, the Bravehearts, this weekend to accomodate for McKay’s culling in what is the only change in the reserves list.

In other news:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

F
Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out' Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out'
Search