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Five changes for the Crusaders to play the Force

Crusaders' Richie Mo'unga (2nd R) celebrates scoring a try with teammate Braydon Ennor (2nd L) during the Super Rugby match between the Canterbury Crusaders and the Otago Highlanders at the AAMI Park in Melbourne on March 3, 2023. (Photo by William WEST / AFP via Gettys Images)

Crusaders head coach Rob Penney has made five changes to his team to play the Western Force at home in Christchurch on Saturday afternoon.

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After an impressive 43-19 win over the Queensland Reds, they have decided to switch up their back row while All Black Braydon Ennor returns at centre.

Last week’s bench selection Corey Kellow has been moved to the starting side at blindside, replacing Cullen Grace, while Tom Christie returns to the team at openside replacing Ethan Blackadder, who is named in the reserves.

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All Stats and Data

In other changes, young flyer Macca Springer gets the chance on the left wing to start.

“Tom’s [Christie] been a part of the Crusaders through a magnificent run of championship winning series and he epitomises a Crusader man’s values and with his work ethic,” says Penney. 

“We are very fortunate with the calibre of the backs that we have here, and Braydon [Ennor] is just another piece to the puzzle, he’s got some unique abilities which will be awesome for us this week,” says Penney.  

“Ball in play is consistently higher, it’s an awesome spectacle – Super Rugby Pacific has been wonderful this year, but the fatigue factor is massive. Listening to the All Blacks coming back in – they’re all commenting on how tough it is.

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“The outcome of that has caused fatigue which causes more opportunities for attack.” 

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
4
Draws
0
Wins
1
Average Points scored
40
24
First try wins
60%
Home team wins
80%

Crusaders team to face the Force:    

  1. Tamaiti Williams  
  2. Codie Taylor  
  3. Fletcher Newell  
  4. Scott Barrett  
  5. Antonio Shalfoon  
  6. Corey Kellow 
  7. Tom Christie 
  8. Christian Lio-Willie  
  9. Kyle Preston  
  10. Taha Kemara  
  11. Macca Springer 
  12. David Havili  
  13. Braydon Ennor 
  14. Sevu Reece 
  15. Will Jordan 

Impact 

  1. Ioane Moananu
  2. George Bower 
  3. Seb Calder
  4. Tahlor Cahill 
  5. Ethan Blackadder
  6. Mitchell Drummond 
  7. James O’Connor 
  8. Levi Aumua

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Comments

7 Comments
G
GP 84 days ago

Wonderful to see Braydon Ennor back in a Crusaders starting jersey. It will be great to see on Sunday. It will be a welcome return. As Rob Penney said, Tom Christie , epitomizes the Crusaders roll your sleeves up ethos , of doing the hard work. A never say die red and black man through and through.

S
SC 84 days ago

I do like the midfield combo of Havili and Ennor. Dallas Macleod has done very little since his breakthough season in 2023 and Levi Aumua has been a massive disappointment since he signed from Moana Pacifika.


Aumua is much better suited as a crashball running 12 in the Bundee Aki mold as he lacks the pace to defend at 13 nor beat a defender on the outside.

M
MM 84 days ago

Havili has done very little as well……

S
SC 84 days ago

One too many changes to the back row. With Cullen Grace injured, starting Cory Kellow at blindside and having Tom Christie coming off the bench was enough of a change to the back row. Christie offers nothing as a ball carrier and Crusaders already losing the hard running in the tight of Grace, they can’t afford to lose Blackadder’s carrying too.

J
JWH 84 days ago

tom Christie’s great. Idk what ur on abt. We don’t need a ball carrier, we alr have Lio-willie, Barrett, Shalfoon, and Kellow.

l
lK 85 days ago

👍🏼

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