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Super Rugby game of the week preview: Crusaders vs Highlanders

Lima Sopoaga of the Highlanders, right, celebrates his try with Waisake Naholo in the Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and the Waratahs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, May 27 2017. (AAP Image/SNPA, Adam Binns)
Roar Guru
1st June, 2017
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This week is the final week of Super Rugby action for a while. The Northern Hemisphere teams embark on their Southern Hemisphere tours and of course there is the small matter of the Lions tour as well.

This week’s game of the week again comes from New Zealand as the Crusaders take on the Highlanders. The table topping Crusaders boast a perfect record with 13 wins from 13.

The Highlanders sit in third in the New Zealand conference level on points with the Chiefs and 3 points off the 2nd placed Hurricanes.

Both teams had big wins against Australian opposition last week with the Highlanders beating the Waratahs at home 44-28 and the Crusaders downing the Rebels in Melbourne comfortably 41-19.

The Crusaders have scored 71 tries this season, only second to the Hurricanes where the men from Otago are 4th in the scoring stakes with 53 from their 13 games, showing both teams are fairly potent in attack.

With a lot of All Blacks not starting in this game due to injury/resting for the Lions tour this is once again a huge opportunity for players to really put their hands up.

Sam Whitelock has been in imperious form and lead from the front in the absence of Kieran Read. Lima Sopoaga made his return from injury last week off the bench and is on there again with Israel Dagg also on the bench after starting against the Highlanders last week.

Crusaders Israel Dagg runs after the ball

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Both will want to make as big an impact as possible to remind the selectors of their abilities with the Lions test under a month away.

Key Battle: David Havili vs Ben Smith
Havili has had a superb season. He is second overall for defenders beaten, third for clean breaks, second for overall meters, and his eight tries put him fifth in the competition. He improves week on week and in a team as confident as this Crusaders team will be very hard to stop.

Smith’s qualities are well known. This season he has had his problems with injury and hasn’t hit the heights that he has in previous seasons and with the likes of Havili and Damian McKenzie pushing hard for the 15 shirt and plenty of challengers on the wings Smith would love to have a big performance here.

One to Watch: Richie Mo’unga
The Crusaders fly half has slotted back into the team after injury as if he has never been away. He is turning into the complete fly half. He challenges the line, passes well and his in play kicking has been a real strength for the team.

Prediction
This is a huge game for the Highlanders. The New Zealand conference is very tight and you would expect the Chiefs and Hurricanes to win their game against the Waratahs and Force respectively. This will put a huge amount of pressure on the Highlanders to keep pace.

That being said I can’t see past the Crusaders for this one. They are in red hot form and have always been formidable at home so I will go for them.

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