Crusaders v Reds: Teams

The defending champions welcome back Richie McCaw for a must-win clash with a depleted Reds outfit in Christchurch.

The All Blacks skipper missed last week's game against the Lions with concussion but has been given the all-clear to start at number seven.

The only other change to the Crusaders starting line-up sees Adam Whitelock on the left wing in place of the injured Colin Slade.

But coach Todd Blackadder will have Andy Ellis and Stephen Brett available after passing fitness tests.

"It's looking good with Richie being available and Andy and Stevie looking good to go as well," said Blackadder.

"I was confident Richie would be able to play but you've got to follow the protocols and we didn't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. I'm pleased he's back in the mix."

The seven-time Super Rugby champions will need wins against both the Reds and Blues in their final two games to stand a chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Regulars missing

Reds are forced to name three uncapped players amongst the replacements with seven regulars missing out through injury.

Full-back Mark McLinden is the latest to be ruled out with a knee ligament injury with the Reds already having lost scrum-half Will Genia (hand) and wing Peter Hynes (knee).

Coach Phil Mooney said captain James Horwill (ankle), inside centre Berrick Barnes (groin), outside centre Digby Ioane (shoulder) and flanker Poutasi Luafutu (hand) will also be left behind when the team flies out to Queensland.

Their absences mean a shuffled backline with Quade Cooper at full-back, scrum-half Ben Luca reverting to stand-off with Brendan McKibbin adding to his three caps at number nine.

Fellow Academy half-back Richard Kingi has been named on the bench alongside uncapped Academy back Ben Tapuai and uncapped flanker Andrew Shaw, the son of former Queensland and Wallaby captain Tony Shaw.

Scott Higginbotham will battle it out with Shaw for the starting position, which will be decided after the team's final run out on Thursday.

In further changes, recently re-signed loosehead prop Ben Daley is back in the starting line-up, with number eight Ezra Taylor moving to blindside flanker and number eight Leroy Houston coming off the bench.

Hooker Sean Hardman, who last week became the Reds most capped player (135 caps), will take over the captaincy in the absence of Horwill and Barnes.

Crusaders: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Jared Payne, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Adam Whitelock, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Replacements: 16 Daniel Perrin, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Michael Paterson, 19 Jonathan Poff, 20 Kahn Fotuali'i, 21 Sean Maitland, 22 Hamish Gard.

Reds: 15 Quade Cooper, 14 Brando Va'aulu, 13 Charlie Fetoai, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Rodney Davies, 10 Ben Lucas, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 tbc, 6 Ezra Taylor, 5 Adam Byrnes, 4 Van Humphries, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Sean Hardman (c), 1 Ben Daley.

Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Robert Simmons, 19 Scott Higginbotham/Andrew Shaw, 20 Richard Kingi, 21 Ben Tapuai, 22 Anthony Sauer.