Hurricanes to take on the Crusaders: Aiden Morgan dropped and we welcome back Ruben Love.

No Asafo Aumua despite him not being on the unavailable list. I've just noticed Numia isn't there either so maybe they are being kept on ice.

1. Tevita Mafileo
2. Dane Coles
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. James Blackwell
5. Caleb Delany
6. Devan Flanders
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi
8. Ardie Savea
9. Cam Roigard
10. Brett Cameron
11. Kini Naholo
12. Jordie Barrett
13. Billy Proctor
14. Daniel Sinkinson
15. Josh Moorby

Replacements:
16. Jacob Devery
17. Pouri Rakete-Stones
18. Owen Franks
19. Justin Sangster
20. Brayden Iose
21. Jamie Booth
22. Ruben Love
23. Bailyn Sullivan

Unavailable for selection: Tyler Laubscher, Reed Prinsep, TJ Perenara, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Salesi Rayasi, Julian Savea

Unavailable due to New Zealand under-20s commitments: Siale Lauaki, Peter Lakai, Cooper Flanders, Jordi Viljoen, Hunter Morrison, Harry Godfrey

@Canes4life

Crusaders:
Will Jordan, Dallas McLeod, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Richie Mo'unga, Mitch Drummond,

Christian Lio-Willie, Tom Christie, Scott Barrett (capt), Sam Whitelock, Quinten Strange, John Afoa, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams.

Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Kershawl-Sykes-Martin, Reuben O'Neill, Zach Gallagher, Sione Havili Talitui, Louie Chapman, Fergus Burke, Chay Fihaki.

@Chris Wouldn't surprise me if that is the starting XV for the first round of play-offs - assuming we get no more bloody injuries.

Then hopefully Jager, Blackadder and Heinz onto the bench.

What happened to Dom Gardiner - injured, or just others preferred?

Remember that the U20 test is the curtain-raiser for this game, so anyone that is going should get there earlier.

@Canes4life

Interesting side

Regarding Aumua

Great to see not only Coles but Devery back as well. And I guess Coles was always going to start this match. Hopefully Aumua is fully recovered and starts next week. With Coles as a replacement

Numia I can sort of understand giving a rest. I don't agree with it as we need to start winning again. And he's playing very well. And Love and Sullivan back too Sinkinson gets a start again. I just hope he does better than his last start where I hoped for the goods but he was disappointing. But my preferred option is Love starting at FB and Moorby on the wing so if Sinkinson doesn't perform, we have this option for next week. I just hope Love gets game time and steps up as at his best he so much better than Moorby at FB

The shame is we will very likely lose because of one short, underpowered lock. Replace Blackwell with Bird (2.06m) and we have a chance. But with Blackwell 1.90, Delany 1.95 (pleased he's starting again as he was good last week) and Flanders 1.93 with Savea 1.90 and Kirifi 1.81 we are just too short. I can see us struggling again in the lineout even with Coles throwing.

Whitelock 2.03 Strange 1.99 Barrett 1.97. Also Christie 1.86 Lio-Willie 1.87
Reserves Gallagher 1.97 Havili Talitui 1.87 are about the same as the Canes. Sangster 1.98, Iose 1.88.

@Winger Blackwell seems to be a plague on this side and because he never gets injured we are always left with an undersized lock in the big games.

The fact Holland never learns will be our ultimate downfall this year. He continues to do the same thing but he expects different results which goes to show he's not a swift learner.

Two years in a row our season has ended in Canberra because our pack has been dominated in the freezing cold conditions of GIO stadium. That will happen again if he doesn't chance his arm.

@Canes4life I wonder how much this is Holland's decision, or Gibbes' influence.

@Stargazer not too sure, but it's a big reason that I'm glad to see them move on at seasons end.

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Stargazer not too sure, but it's a big reason that I'm glad to see them move at seasons end.

It's hard to understand and must put extra pressure on the lineout throwers. And Bird has played well in last year's NPC and this year. So there are other options.

But maybe the coaches will prove us wrong this week end (unlike the last few weeks) And show us that they aren't clueless, incompetent fools after all.

What's up with IWL.

@Stargazer said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Canes4life I wonder how much this is Holland's decision, or Gibbes' influence.

It must be both. Plumtree was the first to rate Blackwell as his no 1 lock. But nows it's so obvious that's hes a liability. He's fine at npc level and against weaker teams though

It's a shame. He's rarely injured and can keep going all match. But he's far too short and with shit ball skills

@Chris-B said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Chris Wouldn't surprise me if that is the starting XV for the first round of play-offs - assuming we get no more bloody injuries.

Then hopefully Jager, Blackadder and Heinz onto the bench.

What happened to Dom Gardiner - injured, or just others preferred?

I wondered about Gardiner a couple of weeks ago. He has stopped being selected. I think he disappointed a little with his time at 6 this season.

@Winger said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Canes4life

Interesting side

Regarding Aumua

View embedded content

The All Blacks veteran has been named to start in the No 2 jersey with Asafo Aumua taking a week off to recover from various niggling injuries.

Great to see not only Coles but Devery back as well. And I guess Coles was always going to start this match. Hopefully Aumua is fully recovered and starts next week. With Coles as a replacement

Numia I can sort of understand giving a rest. I don't agree with it as we need to start winning again. And he's playing very well. And Love and Sullivan back too Sinkinson gets a start again. I just hope he does better than his last start where I hoped for the goods but he was disappointing. But my preferred option is Love starting at FB and Moorby on the wing so if Sinkinson doesn't perform, we have this option for next week. I just hope Love gets game time and steps up as at his best he so much better than Moorby at FB

The shame is we will very likely lose because of one short, underpowered lock. Replace Blackwell with Bird (2.06m) and we have a chance. But with Blackwell 1.90, Delany 1.95 (pleased he's starting again as he was good last week) and Flanders 1.93 with Savea 1.90 and Kirifi 1.81 we are just too short. I can see us struggling again in the lineout even with Coles throwing.

Whitelock 2.03 Strange 1.99 Barrett 1.97. Also Christie 1.86 Lio-Willie 1.87
Reserves Gallagher 1.97 Havili Talitui 1.87 are about the same as the Canes. Sangster 1.98, Iose 1.88.

Generous

@Winger said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Stargazer said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

@Canes4life I wonder how much this is Holland's decision, or Gibbes' influence.

It must be both. Plumtree was the first to rate Blackwell as his no 1 lock. But nows it's so obvious that's hes a liability. He's fine at npc level and against weaker teams though

It's a shame. He's rarely injured and can keep going all match. But he's far too short and with shit ball skills

Razor selected Blackwell at 6 when he coached the U20 World Champs in Italy. Holland really should've followed his mate's advice!

Bit of a fall from grace for Sullivan this season eh.

@Bones said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

Bit of a fall from grace for Sullivan this season eh.

Injured a lot. Just returned

@MN5 said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

Kirifi 1.81

I am surprised at that he just looks a bit shorter to me, maybe it is his stockiness

@Winger said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:

But with Blackwell 1.90, Delany 1.95 (pleased he's starting again as he was good last week) and Flanders 1.93 with Savea 1.90

I'll have to try to remember to look at Blackwell and Ardie when they're close together in this week's game to see if they're the same height.

I reckon James might be another victim of internet sizes!

Someone put this video up of Love yesterday on Youtube, hopefully he can show this form straight off the bat.

He's definitely been one of the missing pieces for us this year.

He is certainly an xfactor player and we haven't seen him at all this year.