Scott Robertson explains the 'hardest call' for Chiefs rematch
After rolling out a second-string side to take on Moana Pasifika, the Crusaders have reverted to their top team for this Saturday’s clash with the Chiefs.
In a rematch of last year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final, the Crusaders will host the Chiefs at Orangetheory Stadium and Scott Robertson has unsurprisingly brought back the big guns, making 11 personnel changes to the starting line-up.
In the tight five, All Blacks Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock have returned to take starting spots in the team while Fletcher Newell – who was brought into last weekend’s starting side late in the piece – has retained his spot due to an ongoing injury to Oli Jager.
The departure of Michael Alaalatoa has challenged the Crusaders’ depth on the tighthead side of the scrum this year but that’s bringing out the best in the new men fighting it out for the coveted No 3 jersey, according to Robertson, with Newell putting on a good showing in the few chances he’s had to date.
“Fletcher’s strong, he’s tough, he’s got a good carry in him,” Robertson said of the youngster. “If you’ve seen him play before, he’s a typical tighthead and he’s just getting better every game.
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“We’ve got some great depth. With Mikey Alaalatoa heading off to Leinster – he’s playing great rugby over there, by the way – we’re stoked. One thing about injury, it gives someone an opportunity and Fletcher’s taken that so we’re really excited. 22 years old, it’s all ahead of him.”
The backs have also received a complete shake-up, with Bryn Hall, Richie Mo’unga, Leicester Fainga’anuku, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan coming into the side. Mo’unga will earn his first start of the season after only making his first appearance against Moana Pasifika last weekend. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has been selected as halfback back-up on the bench with Mitch Drummond on the mend from an ankle injury suffered at training.
The one area of the team that has remained constant is the loose forwards with last week’s trio of Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie and Pablo Matera all retained. According to Robertson, selecting the loosies for this weekend’s match caused the most trouble, with 2020 All Black Cullen Grace left to make an impact off the bench after starting the season in strong form.
“That was probably the hardest call,” Robertson said. “Cullen’s been exceptional for us but Pablo’s just found his rhythm, been really tough, really physical. He got player of the day last week and that’s what we’ve gone for, we’ve gone for just that combination.
“Cullen will come off the bench. He’s an explosive player, it’s going to work out well, he can finish the game for us.”
Robertson further praised the impact of Argentina recruit Matera, who has been named in the starting line-up for all four of the Crusaders’ matches this season, and suggested that each of the Crusaders’ top-line loosies will likely get a breather in the weeks to come.
“Pablo, he’d admit it’s taken him a while to actually get up to the speed of the game and the skillset and the intensity of it. [Super Rugby has] massive ball-in-play [time] – we were up to 40 minutes against Moana Pasifika, which is high. We were averaging sort of 32, 33 last year. It’s a lot of movement … There’s less stops than you would [have] in international rugby. Now he’s up to play really quickly. Going to 107 kilos – he normally plays 109. He’s found his feet.
“It’s a tough call because Cullen’s awesome for us but we’ve got five big games in a row so they’ll manage themselves with their performance.
While there haven’t been quite as stringent restrictions on the All Blacks this year, they’ve still been on managed minutes since coming back into the squad late in the pre-season. With so many All Blacks in their set-up, that’s forced a fair amount of disruption on the Crusaders. Matera, however, has been on no such restrictions, emphasising the usefulness of foreign international stars.
“He played 30 games last year, played 33 the year before,” Robertson said of the Pumas loose forward. “He’s never ever talked about resting or minutes. I had to hold him back pre-season and say ‘Come back after Christmas’ just to freshen himself up because he’d had 30 games. There’s definitely no minute [management] talked about [overseas].
“He’s robust, he’s tough. At training we have to pull him back. That’s the great thing about Pablo, he brings that strong mentality to the group. Great professional with regards to learning and he’s added his own flavour to it as well. That’s the great thing getting those international players in, especially his high level. 28 years old, at his peak, he can come in and add confidently.”
The Crusaders take on the Chiefs at 7:05pm NZT on Saturday evening.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments