Mitchell Drummond to start in his 100th Crusaders match as one of 10 changes to starting XV
Scrumhalf Mitchell Drummond will become the newest Crusader to notch up a century of caps with the team, when he runs out to face the Chiefs this weekend. He’s also been promoted to the starting side, as one of the 10 changes to the Crusaders First XV to face the Chiefs in Hamilton this Saturday.
The defending Super Rugby Aotearoa champions will field a new looking forward pack, starting with the front-row. All three starters who faced the Hurricanes have been replaced, with Joe Moody having been ruled out through injury, while both Codie Taylor and Oliver Jager have been moved to the bench.
They’ve been replaced by George Bower, Brodie McAlister and Irish-bound Michael Alaalatoa. It was announced earlier this week that Alaalatoa had signed for Leinster for the 2021/22 season.
While captain Scott Barrett may be the only forward to have held his place in the starting side, he has been shifted from lock to blindside flanker. Out of the 10 changes, he’s the one positional switch.
Mitchell Dunshea and Quinten Strange, two players who were involved with the All Blacks last year, are both set for their first starts of the 2021 season. Both players are highly rated, with the average of five RugbyPass writers’ rankings for Super Rugby second rowers seeing Dunshea ranked sixth while Strange was fifth.
The Chiefs have made four changes to their starting side for this weeks clash with the Crusaders, including moving Damian McKenzie. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvCRUhttps://t.co/21swPj9gzK— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 15, 2021
Partnering Barrett in the back row is Tom Sanders and Ethan Blackadder. Sanders will get his first opportunity to start this season, after playing his first game of the season off the bench against the Hurricanes.
As for Blackadder, he returns to the starting side for the first time since Round Six, but it’ll be his first opportunity to run out in the #8 jersey in Super Rugby Aotearoa this year. He’ll replace Cullen Grace at Number Eight.
There are just two changes to the backs, including the aforementioned switch at halfback.
In a statement released by the club, Scott Robertson described Drummond as “Mr. Consistent” for the Crusaders, as he congratulated the 27-year-old on the achievement.
“He’s got the best out of all his talent and he means a lot to this team,” Robertson said. “Growing up, wanting to be a Crusader and reaching this milestone, is pretty special for him and his family.”
The other change to the backline sees Leicester Fainga’anuku move into the starting line-up, in the place of the injured Jack Goodhue. Goodhue will likely miss the remainder of the 2021 rugby season, both for the Crusaders and All Blacks, due to an ACL injury he sustained early in the win over the Hurricanes.
Crusaders (1-15): George Bower, Brodie McAlister, Michael Alaalatoa, Mitchell Dunshea, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett (c), Tom Sanders, Ethan Blackadder, Mitchell Drummond, Richie Mo’unga, George Bridge, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan.
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Isileli Tu’ungafasi, Oliver Jager, Luke Romano, Sione Havili Talitui, Bryn Hall, Dallas McLeod, Manasa Mataele.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments