The first Crusaders team for the 2012 season has been announced, to face the Highlanders in a warm up match on Friday night.
The team is very far from the expected first team to take on the Blues in the first round of the campaign, with a bunch of players not considered, including Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Corey Flynn, Richie McCaw, Zac Guildford and Israel Dagg. These players are unavailable for selection.
Crusaders team to play the Highlanders
1.Wyatt Crockett (Captain),2.Quentin MacDonald,3.Nick Barrett,4.Ross Kennedy,5.Tom Donnelly,6.Joe Wheeler,7.Matt Todd,8.Luke Whitelock,9.Willi Heinz,10.Tyler Bleyendaal,11.Adam Whitelock,12.Ryan Crotty,13.Robbie Fruean,14.Sean Maitland,15.Tom Marshall
Reserves:
Forwards: Joe Moody,Ben Franks,Sam Prattley,Ben Funnell,Codie Taylor,Luke Romano,Dominic Bird,Brendon O’Connor,George Whitlock
Backs:Mark Swanepoel,Mitchell Scott,Patrick Osborne,Andy Ellis,
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how many whitelocks are there in new zealand, its almost like the jones’s in wales.
@MJ (Comment 1) : How many Whitelocks are there in Christchurch never mind all of New Zealand? I count Adam, Sam, George and Luke, but i’m sure i’m missing one…
Number 10 Bleyendaal a expat perhaps? Sounds close enough to Afrikaans.
@The Quirk (Comment 2) :
Nope, just the 4.
Interesting to see Adam on the wing… wasn’t getting anywhere in the centres though.
@Viking (Comment 3) :
Nope.
There is a guy in the Hurricanes squad though who has a very good shot at becoming their starting loosehead prop.
Name is Reggie Goodes. Played centre for the Blue Bulls U13 Craven Week side before moving to Wellington and becoming a stand-out for Wellington College & representing NZ at the U20 World Champs.
@hendrikp (Comment 5) :
Crusaders do have a South African in their ranks though, but he didn’t make their SR roster.
Name is Mark Swanepoel. http://www.crusaders.co.nz/profile/mark-swanepoel/325/player-details.aspx
He was part of Western Force team the previous two years.
Its almost starting to look like the SA B cricket team(AKA England)