It’s only 15 days until the British and Irish Lions play their first match in New Zealand. Several leading All Blacks are injured presenting fringe contenders with a chance to push for a test place. Who will stand out in this top of the table clash in Suva?
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:35pm (AEST).
The Crusaders preserved their faultless record in 2017 with a dominant forward display against the Hurricanes last week. However the competition leaders have struggled in recent times against the Chiefs dropping six of their last eight games.
There are a number of individual clashes which will not only settle the outcome of this contest, but potentially resolve a few questions for the All Black selectors, too.
Chiefs tighthead Nepo Laulala is marking Crusaders loosehead Joe Moody. Moody is almost certain to be in the All Blacks, but Laulala has been knocking on the door for a more regular place and a strong showing here will enhance those prospects.
Dominic Bird has had a dynamic season and could usurp Luke Romano as the preferred third choice lock with another bustling effort. The Crusaders destroyed the Hurricanes in the lineouts last week so the Chiefs will have to be accurate in that department.
Matt Todd plays his 101st Super Rugby match and opposed to Sam Cane will be looking to repeat the form which saw him outmuscle Ardie Savea. Cane is the next captain in line to Kieran Read, but is he the best openside in New Zealand?
With Read and Liam Squire down, Crusaders No.8 Jordan Taufua has become an All Black possibility. Can Taufua step up in this game.
In the backs, Damien McKenzie scored a cracking try in the corresponding fixture last year and will need to continue those high standards to keep Jordie Barrett’s challenge at bay.
Jack Goodhue is an underrated centre and Seta Tamanivalu is thriving on the wing and will be determined to excel in front of his home fans
The Crusaders last win against the Chiefs was 18-17 in Hamilton in 2014.
The Crusaders are approaching their own record for most consecutive Super Rugby wins which is 15 set in 2002-03.
Hopefully this is more exciting than last Saturday. It has all the ingredients for a blockbuster!
Dopplerman
Guest
Amazing game but full cred to crusaders coaching and team epitome of unity . Mo'unga cool as a cucumber , skills aplenty , should be fast tracked into the greater ABs squad . What was really interesting was this performance was on the back returning from s/Africa Bulls then beating the hurricanes and another flight to Fiji to beat the chiefs who were fresh off a bye . What can they do when fresh and at full strength is something we can all look forward too .
Uncle Eric
Guest
One day SR will get neutral officials.... Incompetence or bias? Either way it was an exceedingly poor performance from the officials. This together with the conference system makes a mockery of SR has a competition. Lots of brilliant individual games, but no real reward for the top teams.
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Ohh Kirky.... Mo'unga is a talent no doubt, but probably, at the moment 4th or even 5th in-line against BIL's... I state this as I am sure Hansen will go with experience. At the moment (injuries aside), I think the order might be B Barrett, Cruden, Sopoaga, Mo'unga/Donald (yeap I think he will be in the mix due to his experience. Richie Mo'unga will get a chance with the departure of Cruden at the end of this year, if he does, he will need to grab it with both hands as Otere Black is another 'young turk' who will be putting his hand up. And don't forget MacKenzie, it is understood will be moving to No 10 post AC... A bit of depth here but one thing I think Hansen will be looking for is a five eight who can kick is goals ...
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
To be a pedant when you include the benches it's 23+23+23 = 69 individual players....this also assumes the Crusaders didn't change their side from the Canes game.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I honestly love most of your posts on this site, Jock. Often you say what needs to be said, but which no one else is able to say. However, your vitriol against Cooper is a littler tiresome.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I don't think we will see eye to eye on Foley, Kirky :P
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Well he won them a SR title, so the same as Foley, and now the Reds are above the Waratahs on the ladder? He's started in two wins against the All Blacks, and has a much higher win % when starting for the Wallabies than Foley, so I guess you could say he's accomplished more than Foley, Jock. But don't let facts and statistics get in the way of your nonsense, champ.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
They have the Rebels next away. I'm glad it's not the Highlanders. These NZ derbies are punishing and there'll be a few, no doubt, not playing in Melbourne due to concussion concerns. They still have to beat the Rebels of course but the home game is a huge one against the Highlanders. The Canes away match is after the Lions so both teams will be at an equal disadvantage in terms of continuity. The way the schedule is, it's a first final rather than a preliminary match.
Jock Cornet
Guest
No NZ , sa or European nation would touch qc . What has qc done for qld. Exactly sfa.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
I don't know about brilliant rugby, Kirk. There were lots of errors from both sides. But they had what many other games have lacked this year: a hotly contested game that went down to the wire. With the pressure came mistakes. But there were also big plays that turned the game. And among the line breaks there was big defence. Brilliant rugby? At times. Nail biting rugby? Most definitely.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Highlanders here in Perth tomorrow night - apparently forecast is for rain - and lots of it.... probably suit the Force more with their style than the 'landers style.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Playing himself into AB contention... the other boys better keep healthy..
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
To be fair Harris did not look quick enough to get to the tackle but for some refs that doesn't matter. The ref did miss a couple of knock ons and a touchie even picked him up on one. Poor ol Hika wont be happy, but then Brodie should have been up the front so a short fast throw all that was required. The Chiefs will be thinking that was one that got away but they acknowledged was their own fault.. very humble they were...
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Having some trouble with the mathematic here Kirky? 20 + 20 + 20 = 80?
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Fionn' mate I personally would never have Cooper on the end of my nose as a wart, let alone in a Wallaby team, he's a useless liability and I fail to see how the people who keep on selecting him can see anything positive about his game! Everybody rubbishes Foley but by jeezuz' he's got the Aussies out of more than a few scrapes, and on his own ~ Wales/Aussie in the last W/Cup he scored all the points and he needed to as the Aussie's were very lucky to win that game as the Boyos' played the rugby, but couldn't win the match, it was just another one the Aussies' got away with! ~ Too many top players injured for the Welsh!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
davSA, How do you think a Crusader/Lions play off would pan out mate? Got a lot of time for the Lions as of last Season, but I just have an inkling having watched them a few times that, they are not quite the team of last year, and the Crusaders are right on top of their game! Whaddya' reckon dav!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
R/T, Mo'unga should be in the mix sooner or later, ~ I like him a lot! ~ What think you mate?
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Hello RT And what a pleasant watching experience with a capacity crowd who really were up for it. Must have been great marketing for a Fijian Super Rugby team in the future. We all know that right now a project like that lacks funding. Still, I refuse to accept that it should be impossible. There must be a way. With a Fijian team in NRC this season, that could maybe be the foundation for something bigger. Cruden was awesome today. And his play was not all due to a good Chief pack, he was in control even when the Crusaders was in his face. He missed two sitters, but he (and McKenzie) missed a couple of other also. Just goes to show that with no steady foot from the tee, you don't win close games (unless you play the Wallabies *S*). BBBBB might be the kicker, Dagg might be the backup, but this is a worry, especially with todays game as an example of the importance of a solid goal kicker. Jordie Barrett? Even if Jordie is a very special player it would be a huge surprise if he started the first Test match against the Lions. Most likely he will be on the bench I think. I can see one far fetched opening for Jrodie though. I have my doubts about Julian Savea for this series. I predict that the Lions will field Farrell, Sexton, Murray and Hogg and they are all seriously good kickers and it will be raining high balls around AB's back three. Arguably Savea's high ball catching and kicking is way below Bender and Dagg's quality. Maybe Hansen plays Dagg at 11 and Jordie at 14? Well well, just me speculating. We will see how Hansen eventually call this, but I doubt he does not have some kind of plan that we don't know about. And I just can't see him "gifting" the Lions 6-10 points per game due to poor kicking from the tee.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
We saw around forty players (reserves inclusive) last week in the Crusaders and the Hurricanes game and the same today in the Chiefs and Crusaders game ~ We were all looking at possibly the best eighty rugby players in the game of rugby at the moment belting the hell out of each other on two successive week days! There was a number of All Blacks and a number of Journeymen players in both Teams but they all co-ordinated to make a spectacle on two days, of the best rugby you could possibly witness! Brilliant rugby all round!
Lara
Guest
Made my Friday night, really enjoyed watching the game.....hope u both make the playoffs in good positions, really deserve it.