The Crusaders and the Hurricanes face each other in a pre-season friendly in Mangatainoka this weekend, with both teams making wholesale changes to the teams that played last week.
For the Hurricanes, Daniel Kirkpatrick drops from flyhalf to the bench and Beauden Barret gets a start, and more significantly, Cory Jane starts at fullback after playing off the bench last weekend.
For the Crusaders, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock and Israel Dagg start their first matches of the season, while the other Whitelock, Adam, gets his chance inside Robbie Fruean in the place of Ryan Crotty.
The Hurricanes: 1. Tristan Moran, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 4. Mark Reddish, 5. Jason Eaton, 6. Faifili Levave, 7. Jack Lam, 8. Victor Vito, 9. Chris Smylie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Julian Savea, 12. Charlie Ngatai, 13. Alapati Leiua, 14. Richard Buckman, 15. Cory Jane
Reserves: 16. David Hall, 17. Ben May, 18. Reggie Goodes, 19. Michael Bent, 20. Motu Matu’u, 21. James Broadhurst, 22. Jeremy Thrush, 23. Scott Fuglistaller, 24. Mike Coman, 25. TJ Perenara, 26. Chris Eaton, 27. Daniel Kirkpatrick, 28. Jayden Hayward, 29. Andre Taylor.
Crusaders: 1.Wyatt Crockett , 2.Quentin MacDonald , 3.Owen Franks , 4.Ross Kennedy , 5.Sam Whitelock , 6.George Whitelock , 7.Matt Todd , 8.Luke Whitelock , 9.Willi Heinz , 10.Tom Taylor , 11.Israel Dagg , 12.Adam Whitelock , 13.Robbie Fruean , 14.Patrick Osborne , 15.Tom Marshall
Reserves: , 16.Corey Flynn , 17.Ben Franks , 18.Tom Donnelly , 19.Luke Romano , 20. Joe Wheeler , 21.Brendon O’Connor , 22.Kieran Read , 23.Ben Funnell , 24.Andy Ellis , 25.Tyler Bleyeendal , 26.Sean Maitland , 27. Mitchell Scott , 28. James Schrader
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I hardly know any of the guys playing for the Canes ❓ I can’t see them winning this game let alone putting up a decent fight in this years S15. But I could be wrong. Look what the Landers did last year 😕
Guys to watch in the canes, Charlie Ngatai. He had a blinder on debut last year, then proceeded to get badly injured in the same game before he could build on that, broke the line well, tackled well, and i like what i saw of Jack Lam last year. I’ve also heard talk that the replacement Broadhurst is one to watch…
@The Quirk (Comment 2) :
Ngatai is nothing special. Seen him play a bit of club rugby… don’t think he’ll last long.
Barrett is a class player. Dane Coles should have a breakthrough season now that he’s handed the starting hooker role (with the departure of Hore). He’s one of the more mobile hookers, could challenge for AB spot very soon. And Julian Savea will live up to his potential sooner or later.
Broadhurst also a no-no.
What happened to that flyhalf for the crusaders matt burquest?
@shaniboi (Comment 4) :
Not sure, will do a bit of a search on the guy..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 5) : he seemed to handle the role quiet nicely from what I saw last year..
@shaniboi (Comment 6) :
He is at Leinster.. playing behind Jonathan Sexton
@hendrikp (Comment 3) :
You may have misjudged James! 😉