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Crusaders set to debut another up-and-coming loose forward as captain Barrett succumbs to knee injury

By Online Editors
Ethan Roots. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

The Crusaders will play their first home game in Christchurch this Friday night, when they host the Highlanders at Orangetheory Stadium.

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The only changes to the starting team this week are in the forwards, with Captain Scott Barrett (knee) and Oli Jager (concussion) both ruled out with injury. Luke Romano and Michael Alaalatoa come into the starting side at lock and tighthead prop respectively.

Isi Tuungafasi moves into the matchday team and will wear the number 17 jersey.

The backline remains unchanged this week, but there is a reshuffle of the captaincy with David Havili named as captain and Codie Taylor and Jack Goodhue vice-captains for this game.

Will Jordan (groin) has also been ruled out of this match, so Leicester Faingaanuku will be on the bench in his place.

Continue reading below…

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Meanwhile, Ethan Roots is set to become Crusader #241 on Friday night, if called on in the reserves to make his Super Rugby debut.

Roots will become the fourth new loose forward that the Crusaders have blooded this year with Tom Christie, Cullen Grace and Sione Havili all earning their first caps for the side over the past three weeks.

Coach Scott Robertson has no reservations about bringing another debutant into the mix.

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“He’s [Roots] tough, he’s abrasive. We wanted someone who can cover six/lock, same as Cullen [Grace], and that’s what we got,” said Robertson.

“He’s fitted in, he’s picked up the detail really quickly, he’s got a real good edge to him.”

Christie and Grace, in particular, have received plenty of praise for their performances so far with Christie topping the tackle charts for the year and Grace notching up 20 of his own in last week’s starting debut against the Blues.

The four newbie loose forwards are all 22-years-old or younger, showing there’s plenty of promise coming through the ranks for last year’s champions.

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Kick-off in the Crusaders match against the Highlanders is 7:05pm, Friday 21st February, at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.

Crusaders: David Havili (c), Sevu Reece, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Bryn Hall, Tom Sanders, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Mitchell Dunshea, Luke Romano, Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Andrew Makalio, Isi Tu’ungafasi, George Bower, Ethan Roots, Sione Havili, Mitchell Drummond, Brett Cameron, Leicester Fainga’anuku.

– with Crusaders Rugby

WATCH: ‘Spectacular’ Six Nations TV numbers have been recorded in France on the back of the national sides revival under new coach Fabien Galthie.

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Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

39 Go to comments
A
Adrian 12 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

39 Go to comments
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