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Ethan Blackadder returns as Crusaders name team for quarter-final
By Finn Morton
The Crusaders have welcomed back some big-name players for their quarter-final clash with the Fijian Drua in Christchurch on Saturday.
Oliver Jager is back in the front row, while All Black Ethan Blackadder and former England scrumhalf Willi Heinz have both been named on the bench.
Halfback Mitchell Drummond is also back in the No. 9 jersey after picking up an injury during the warm-up ahead of the blockbuster against the Hurricanes last weekend.
Oliver Jager is joined by reliable prop Tamaiti Williams and veteran Codie Taylor in the front row, while captain Scott Barrett and Quinten Strange make up the rest of the tight five.
Sione Havili Talitui and Tom Christie will take their place on the flanks, while Christian Lio-Willie will run out in the No. 8 jumper.
All Blacks Drummond and Richie Mo’unga will look to steer the Crusaders’ attack around the park, and provide quality ball to a world-class backline.
Dallas McLeod is the only back in the starting side that hasn’t played for the New Zealand national team.
Jack Goodhue and Braydon Ennor will link up in the midfield, while Leicester Fainga’anuku and McLeod have been named on the wings.
Exciting outside back Will Jordan has retained his place in the starting side at fullback.
This match is set to get underway at 7.05pm NZST on Saturday evening at Christchurch’s Orangetheory Stadium.
Crusaders team to take on Fijian Drua
- Tamaiti Williams
- Codie Taylor
- Oliver Jager
- Scott Barrett
- Quinten Strange
- Sione Havili Talitui
- Tom Christie
- Christian Lio-Willie
- Mitchell Drummond
- Richie Mo’unga
- Leicester Fainga’anuku
- Jack Goodhue
- Braydon Ennor
- Dallas McLeod
- Will Jordan
Replacements:
- Brodie McAlister
- Kershawl Sykes-Martin
- Reuben O’Neill
- Zach Gallagher
- Ethan Blackadder
- Willi Heinz
- Fergus Burke
- Chay Fihaki
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Latest Comments
was I right to infer that you assumed a 1:1 correspondence between points and places?
If so why were you so evasive about admitting that?
I've typed out a reply regarding the pool format but I won't send it if you don't answer my question.
Go to commentsFoster should never have been appointed, and I never liked him as a coach, but the hysteria over his coaching and Sam Cane as a player was grounded in prejudice rather than fact.
The New Zealand Rugby public were blinded by their dislike of Foster to the point of idiocy.
Anything the All Blacks did that was good was attributed to Ryan and Schmidt and Fozzie had nothing to do with it.
Any losses were solely blamed on Foster and Cane.
Foster did develop new talent and kept all the main trophies except the World Cup.
His successor kept the core of his team as well as picking Cane despite him leaving for overseas because he saw the irreplaceable value in him.
Razor will take the ABs to the next level, I have full confidence in that.
He should have been appointed in 2020.
But he wasn’t. And the guy who was has never been treated fairly.
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