Crusaders

1 Tim Perry
2 Codie Taylor
3 Mike Alaalatoa
4 Scott Barrett
5 Sam Whitelock (c)
6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
7 Billy Harmon
8 Jordan Taufua
9 Mitchell Drummond
10 Mitch Hunt
11 George Bridge
12 Ryan Crotty (vc)
13 Jack Goodhue
14 Manasa Mataele
15 David Havili

Reserves
16 Ben Funnell
17 Wyatt Crockett
18 Oliver Jager
19 Quinten Strange
20 Tom Sanders
21 Bryn Hall
22 Brett Cameron
23 Braydon Ennor

The BNZ Crusaders will host the Bulls at home this week, following two rounds of Investec Super Rugby on the road. Friday night's match will be their last game in Christchurch for three weeks, as the team are due to fly out for the South African and Argentinian leg of their Super Rugby campaign on Monday.

Head Coach Scott Robertson has made five changes to the starting line-up from the side that played the Highlanders in Dunedin last Saturday night, including the return of Captain Sam Whitelock and Vice-Captain Ryan Crotty from their respective concussions. 

Prop Tim Perry also returns to the BNZ Crusaders team, having made a successful return from injury for the Crusaders Knights in recent weeks. Perry will start, and Wyatt Crockett takes a spot on the bench. Flanker Billy Harmon will earn his second start for the Crusaders on Friday night; he replaces Vice-Captain Matt Todd, who took a knock to the ribs and will be rested this week. The only other change to the back line sees Manasa Mataele start on the right wing in place of Seta Tamanivalu. 

On the reserves bench Quinten Strange will wear the No. 19 jersey this week, and Tom Sanders returns in jersey No. 20 having successfully recovered from the fractured ankle he sustained during the pre-season. Brett Cameron will again provide first five-eighth cover on the bench, while Braydon Ennor could earn his first Super Rugby cap on Friday night if called on in the reserves. 

So Whitelock and Crotty come in and Todd and Tamanivalu go out. One step forward and one back - though in reality a net gain - plus we've got Perry back for King.

In general the forwards look a bit more solid than last week (as do the backs - especially if Mataele involves himself more than Seta has thus far).

Drummond gets another go in the 9 jersey - needs to improve his kicking.

Didn't Delaney sit on the bench last week?

@chris-b No, they pulled him late due to a knee injury at training. Brett Cameron was on the bench (but didn't play).

@stargazer I see - I missed all of the match build-up.

@chris-b said in Crusaders v Bulls:

Drummond gets another go in the 9 jersey - needs to improve his kicking.

This. It was probably the worst display of box/short kicking I'd seen in a long time. Continually put his team under pressure and/or handed over possession.

Bulls (with Super Rugby caps and points):
15 Warrick Gelant (22, 35), 14. Travis Ismaiel (32, 45), 13. Jesse Kriel (49, 35), 12. Burger Odendaal (c; 35, 15), 11. Divan Rossouw (3, 10), 10. Handre Pollard (35, 321), 9. Embrose Papier (4, 0), 8. Tim Agaba (0, 0), 7. Hanro Liebenberg (22, 15), 6. Roelof Smit (17, 5), 5. Lood de Jager (54, 15), 4. Jason Jenkins (30, 25), 3. Trevor Nyakane (83, 15), 2. Jaco Visagie (24, 5), 1. Pierre Schoeman (28, 10).

Replacements: Adriaan Strauss (147, 70), Lizo Gqoboka (30, 10), Frans van Wyk (5, 0), Hendre Stassen (0, 0), Marco van Staden (4, 0), Ivan van Zyl (6, 0), Manie Libbok (1, 0), Johnny Kotze (23, 15).

It’s The Crusaders vs fucking Brazil!!!

@hooroo said in Crusaders v Bulls:

It’s The Crusaders vs fucking Brazil!!!

@stockcar86 hah they even have the white socks. Perfick.

@bones said in Crusaders v Bulls:

@stockcar86 hah they even have the white socks. Perfick.

They just need the fullback to be wearing all green

I wonder if eventually we'll just get used to it like we did with the Highlanders green - which they seemed to have ditched and gone back to blue even when playing other blue teams! Incidentally I switched on the tv thinking I was watching Canes v Highlanders.

Glad to see the Saders stop the drive there. I think they were a bit unlucky to concede that penalty.

Saders have hardly touched it. Great defense to keep it 0-0 after all that territory and possession

Points here would be a heart breaker.

I’d like to know how that wasn’t a penalty advantage for bringing down the maul?

No try.

Ha ha,

Given.

I thought it was a double movement

@gt12 said in Crusaders v Bulls:

No try.

Ha ha,

Given.

I thought it was a double movement

Nonsense, you’ll see players crawl further than that in this and every game and get away with it.

Bulls should stick to 10 man rugby, they find nothing but grass trying to play run and pass rugby

The way players are kicking the ball, it's as if there is water inside the ball. The flight and sound of the ball when they kick it is weird.

Some shit defence let’s the Bulls in 14-7.

I quite enjoy Rikki Swannell’s commentary.

That Bulls 9 is Nock level shit.

Goodhue, how the hell did he do that?

Fucken hell Goodhue. The kid plays well beyond his years.

Does anyone else think that Goodhue looks Russian?

Jeez that was scrappy error ridden half of rugby. Sad to see NZ team beating a bok one using mauls. Saders not looking like champs since first half vs stormers

@gunner beast mode.

Excellent try from Goodhue. Very nice running line and impact into contact. If he can do that on a regular basis he will be a long term AB

Alaalatoa just hasn't been good enough in the scrums this season.

@nepia Russian or like a specific Russian actor?

Those lineout stats probably aren't looking quite as flash for the Bulls now....

@taniwharugby said in Crusaders v Bulls:

@nepia Russian or like a specific Russian actor?

Just Russian looking in general.

This is such an untidy game.

@machpants I reckon they've been pretty dominant in shithouse conditions.

Bulls have monstered the Crusaders scrum a few times in this game.

The Bulls play way too deep.

Bulls should stop letting their fullback punt.

Crotty off for an HIA? WTF? Weird.

@bones said in Crusaders v Bulls:

Crotty off for an HIA? WTF? Weird.

At least he got through 70 minutes this week before he had to leave injured.

Why the fark have they got a siren going off every few minutes that sounds like the half/final hooter. Ground "DJ's" are getting worse...

GEORGE BRIIIIIDGE

Serious finishing.