Tony Smith writing in The Press reports the Crusaders will not risk All Blacks star Dan Carter for Sunday’s sold-out Super rugby clash with the Stormers in Cape Town.
Coach Todd Blackadder confirmed last night that Carter – still recovering from a month-old hamstring injury – will join All Blacks prop Ben Franks in the Newlands stands.
But Kieran Read is “bouncing off the walls” and will resume his back-row partnership with captain Richie McCaw.
Blackadder said Carter – who has not played since hurting his hamstring against the Sharks in London on March 27 – would “not be available for selection this week”. “We thought it would be more prudent to put him through a week of hard work before he becomes available.
“He’s running at about 75 per cent and he’s getting better every day. He’s made some good progress. He will be fully fit and ready for the Cheetahs (in Bloemfontein) next week.”
Blackadder said Franks would also be given another week to recover from a lower back injury which forced him off the field in the first half of last weekend’s 42-30 win over the Western Force in Perth. “He couldn’t do another scrum,” Blackadder said.
But the Crusaders’ medical team are hopeful it will not be a long-term problem. “We don’t think it’s too serious but we don’t quite know what the cause is,” Blackadder said. Franks was “feeling a little better”. Canterbury NPC front rower Andrew Olorenshaw will “get the opportunity to step up” and replace Franks in the match-day squad.
The Crusaders have been successfully rotating their three All Blacks props, Franks, his younger brother Owen and loosehead Wyatt Crockett. It has proved a point of difference for the seven-time champions with few franchises boasting such front-row depth.
Blackadder said the trio seemed to have got to grips with the rotation system, but “Crocky and Owen are going to get their dream come true and play 80 minutes for the next couple of weeks, which will be good for them”.
Read would resume at No8 “fully refreshed” after a two-week rest, Blackadder said. McCaw came through his first start of the season against the Force “fully unscathed”. The skipper had foot surgery in the off season, but felt no ill-effects in Perth, which was “really encouraging”, Blackadder said.
McCaw will be back on the side of the scrum but Blackadder was offering no hints as to whether Matt Todd or George Whitelock would start on the other flank. All three flankers can operate in the open side and blindside roles. Former All Blacks captain Reuben Thorne’s chances of a Super rugby return are looking dimmer with backup lock Joe Wheeler, who took a knock against the Highlanders a fortnight ago, now fully fit again.
Newlands holds close to 52,000 fans and Blackadder said the game was “sold out two weeks ago”.
He said it would be “a big buzz” for his team to play before a huge crowd against a Stormers side who were “absolutely outstanding” and full of “ferocity” in a 32-12 demolition of the Sharks last weekend.
The Crusaders were keen to avenge their 42-14 shellacking in Cape Town last season. Stormers coach Allister Coetzee is expecting a rejuvenated red-and-black outfit.
“I think the Crusaders are a lot stronger this time,” Coetzee told South Africa’s Super Sport.com website.
Tweet
Has Carter become fragile now. 😈
Not quite 52,000. More like 48,000. 😉
@McLovin (Comment 2) : Many more are squeezed in @ the Danie Craven Standing Room…Newlands Taxi Stand… 😆
Carter is faking injury cos he heard Ricky might start.
Ricky is the only scrumhalf in the world to make Carter his biaaatch!! 😈 😆
@McLovin (Comment 2) :
I are going to be there!! 😎
@wpw (Comment 5) : 😎 😎 😎
This is a setback . . . 👿
well if i was coach i would also keep all my best players in cotten wool would not like to see some key players been hurt before the RWC
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 1) : 🙂
it looks like it and that when he played the JAWS 😉