Reds’ No.10 woes, Tahs prepare for ‘different beast’
Murray Wenzel |
An overhauled NSW Waratahs front row will take on a “different beast” when the out-of-sorts Crusaders christen their new home stadium to begin Super Round.
The defending champions have lost all three games against Australian opponents so far this season, run down in a shock upset loss to the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
Their 4-5 record, good enough for sixth, has set up a mouth-watering Friday night clash at Christchurch’s sold-out One NZ Stadium against the seventh-placed Waratahs (4-4).
“The Crusaders will be a different beast on Friday night over there in front of 30,000 of their fans,” coach Dan McKellar said.
Isaac Kailea, Folau Faingaa and Siosifa Amone will form a new combination in the Waratahs front-row, boasting a combined one previous start between them this season.
Max Jorgensen will switch with Sid Harvey, moving from left wing to full-back, while hooker Ioane Moananu comes onto the bench and could appear against his former side.
“It’ll be as close to a Test match as we’ll get to play in at Super Rugby level,” McKellar said.
“It’s going to be a great week for Super Rugby Pacific, and a challenge that we need. It’s a real shot in the arm before we start to get close towards finals.”
The Crusaders will unleash All Blacks star Leicester Fainga’anuku, traditionally a backline or midfield wrecking ball, at No.7 while David Havili will wear the No.12 and Codie Taylor returns in the front row.
Fainga’anuku’s switch comes after time spent at flanker during his stint with Toulon in France.
“Leicester’s been keen to explore that opportunity,” coach Rob Penney said.
“This stadium felt like the right place to do it. He loves big environments, loves pressure moments, and we feel he’ll add real value against this opposition.”
Theirs is the first of five games across three days, with the Reds and Brumbies to face the Blues and Hurricanes in equally crucial Anzac Day fixtures on Saturday.
The Blues sit third while the Reds are fifth and the Brumbies (fourth) are aiming for a 5-0 sweep of New Zealand teams against the ladder-leading Canes.
Injuries to Carter Gordon (knee) and Tom Lynagh (calf), both short-term according to coach Les Kiss, mean Harry McLaughlin-Phillips will wear the Reds’ No.10.
Zane Nonggorr returns to the starting side while fellow Reds prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, a former Hurricanes title-winner, will play his 150th Super Rugby game.
Massimo De Lutiis is fit to play after completing 40-minute at club level last weekend but was left out in favour of fellow up-and-coming forward Nick Bloomfield.
Ben Volavola will serve as the Reds’ reserve playmaker, with Kiss wary of putting a return date on either of Gordon or Lynagh given their interrupted seasons.
Winger Andy Muirhead and flanker Rory Scott return to the starting side for a Brumbies outfit who were upset by the Fijian Drua in Canberra on Saturday.
AAP