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Recap: Crusaders vs Chiefs | Super Rugby Aotearoa
By RugbyPass
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Crusaders and Chiefs at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
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Having scored five tries to one against the Hurricanes last weekend, Crusaders boss Scott Robertson has stuck with the tried and tested and made no changes to the team for this match.
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As such, the Crusaders will call upon 11 All Blacks for their match-up with the Chiefs – including seven starters who featured for New Zealand at last year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Codie Taylor, who was handed the captain’s armband last week, retains leadership duties after regular captain Scott Barrett undertook surgery earlier this week which will rule him out for the entire competition.
Braydon Ennor, who sustained a haematoma against the Hurricanes and didn’t return after the halftime whistle, has recovered sufficiently to take his place in the midfield.
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Meanwhile, All Blacks captain Sam Cane is just one of four changes that Chiefs head coach Warren Gatland has made to the starting team.
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In the forwards, Mitchell Brown returns from injury to take his spot in the second-row with 20-year-old Tupou Vaa’i unavailable due to illness while Bradley Slater gets his third start of the year at hooker.
Further out, Solomon Alaimalo returns on the left wing with Shaun Stevenson dropping out the squad altogether and centre Tumua Manu joining the bench.
Mitch Karpik has also recovered from a back injury to line up in the reserves.
