Crusaders curse continues as loose forward stocks hit by pre-season injury ahead of Highlanders clash

In 2020, Crusaders loose forward Ethan Blackadder was the unlucky man. A shoulder injury suffered in the late stages of the prior season's provincial competition meant the promising flanker was going to spend the formative part of the year on the sidelines.
A year later, and Blackadder is fit and healthy - and has been named to start in the Crusaders' opening pre-season match of the year.
Unfortunately, Tom Sanders, the man who caught many an eye during last year's North v South clash, will be sidelined for the next eight weeks due to a head clash suffered in an intra-squad match last week.
Sanders, who was likely on few people's radars for the majority of last year, put on a barnstorming performance in the South's last minute victory and was even being touted as a potential All Blacks bolter.
The competition at the Crusaders is fierce, however, and Sanders will start the season on the backfoot - almost certainly being unavailable for the entirety of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
In Friday's pre-season fixture with the Highlanders, the Crusaders will call upon Blackadder, Tom Christie and Whetukamokamo Douglas in the first half and Anton Segner, Sione Havili and Brendan O'Connor in the second.
One-cap All Blacks loosie Cullen Grace is also on the books and will likely hold down a position once the regular season kicks off.
None of the Crusaders' long list of internationals from 2020 will feature in the pre-season hit-out but the Highlanders may still struggle, such is the depth at the disposal of the Super Rugby Aotearoa champions.
Newly re-signed lock Quinten Strange's selection should be a happy sight for the New Zealand selectors, however, with the 24-year-old lock's 2020 season marred by injury.
Leicester Fainga'anuku's spot in the midfield for the second half could also be a sign of what's to come this season - while former All Black Rene Ranger, an injury replacement for Braydon Ennor, has been named in the same position for the opening stanza. Former Highlander Josh McKay will start at fullback and will no doubt have intentions on proving to the Highlanders coaches that leaving the outside back out of their squad was a grave mistake.
Douglas and Luke Romano will take on the captaincy duties.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said the squad is looking forward to getting their 2021 campaign underway.
"Pre-season gives us an important indication of where we are at as a team, and allows us an opportunity to give a number of players a chance to prove themselves ahead of the start of Super Rugby Aotearoa in two weeks' time.
"There is always a lot of anticipation leading in to the first game of the season, and the chance to represent our wider Crusaders region in front of a full crowd at Temuka Rugby Club is really exciting for our squad. As coaches, we're really looking forward to seeing this group of players go about their work."
The Farmlands Cup pre-season match kicks off 5:30pm NZT on Friday afternoon.
Crusaders team to play the Highlanders:
1st Half Team
1. Isileli Tuungafasi
2. Brodie McAlister
3. Michael Alaalatoa
4. Will Tucker
5. Quinten Strange
6. Ethan Blackadder
7. Tom Christie
8. Whetukamokamo Douglas (C)
9. Mitchell Drummond
10. Fergus Burke
11. Leicester Fainga’anuku
12. Isaiah Punivai
13. Rene Ranger
14. Chay Fihaki
15. Josh McKay
2nd Half Team
1. Tamaiti Williams
2. Nathan Vella
3. Oliver Jager
4. Luke Romano (C)
5. Zach Gallagher
6. Anton Segner
7. Sione Havili
8. Brendon O’Connor
9. Ereatara Enari
10. Brett Cameron
11. Tomas Aoake
12. Tim O’Malley
13. Leicester Fainga’anuku
14. Timoci Tavatavanawai
15. Chay Fihaki
RESERVES: Siua Maile, Fletcher Newell, Mahonri Ngakuru, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta
Latest Comments
Mauvaka malevolence was clear, appalling decision toxic to the game. Do the rugby gods ever smile on Scotland? Seems not.
Go to commentsIt was a cold evening when I realized I had lost everything. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at my empty crypto wallet. Three hundred thousand dollars’ worth of Bitcoin—gone. I had fallen victim to an elaborate scam, a promise of high returns that had turned into my worst nightmare.I had always been cautious with my investments, but these scammers were professionals. They posed as a legitimate crypto investment firm, complete with a polished website, convincing testimonials, and even fake regulatory approvals. Their scheme was perfect—until it wasn’t. After weeks of trying to recover my funds on my own, filing complaints, and chasing shadows, I almost gave up. That’s when I stumbled upon Galaxy Ethical Tech, a company renowned for its expertise in ethical tech solutions and cryptocurrency fraud recovery. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out to Galaxy Ethical Tech through their official website. Within hours, I received a response from their lead investigator, Daniel Carter. His calm yet confident tone gave me a renewed sense of hope. We’ve handled cases like yours before,” he assured me. “If the scammers haven’t moved your Bitcoin through an extensive network of tumblers, there’s a good chance we can track it. I handed over all the details—wallet addresses, transaction IDs, emails, and even chat logs with the scammers. Within 48 hours, their team of blockchain analysts got to work.Galaxy Ethical Tech used advanced blockchain forensics to trace the movement of my stolen Bitcoin. Every transaction left a digital footprint, and with their AI-driven tracking tools, they followed the money trail. It turned out that the scammers had transferred my Bitcoin through a series of crypto mixers, attempting to break the chain of traceability. However, Galaxy Ethical Tech had access to specialized de-anonymization algorithms and partnerships with global cybersecurity agencies. One breakthrough came when they identified a suspicious transaction leading to a centralized exchange. Using legal channels and law enforcement partnerships, they froze the scammer’s wallet before they could cash out.After two intense weeks, I received an email from Galaxy Ethical Tech: We’ve recovered your lost Bitcoin. Expect the full amount in your wallet within 24 hours. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I checked my wallet obsessively until, finally, my 300,000 BTC was back.You don’t know what this means to me,” I said, my voice shaking.He chuckled. “Just another day at Galaxy Ethical Tech. Stay safe, and always verify before you trust. Losing my Bitcoin was a nightmare, but it taught me valuable lessons: Never trust unsolicited investment opportunities. Always verify the legitimacy of crypto platforms. Use secure wallets and enable two-factor authentication. If scammed, act fast and contact professionals like Galaxy Ethical Tech.Thanks to their ethical approach and cutting-edge technology, I got a second chance. If you ever find yourself in a crypto scam, don’t lose hope—there are still heroes in the digital world.
contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.com Whatsapp: +15072712442 Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech
Go to comments