Crusaders v Force: Teams
Defending champions Crusaders are struggling with injuries as thet host the Force.
Last Updated: 13/03/09 10:44am
It's a rough time for the home side here. Seven-time champions, they've had to cope with the loss of several squad members as well as the coach over the past 12 months. They were doing reasonably well, but throw a glut of injuries into the mix and the cupboard has finally been stretched bare.
The list starts with skipper Richie McCaw, continues through strike wingers Jared Payne and Kade Poki, back round Andy Ellis and culminates in prop Ben Franks, who was ruled out of the weekend's clash on Thursday.
It leaves the list very bare, which coupled with last week's first-ever shut-out and the ongoing settling-in period of new head coach Todd Blackadder and his staff, is all making life very difficult for the defending champions.
Better news is that Leon MacDonald is back, meaning Stephen Brett's nightmare at full-back is at an end. Not that Colin Slade has struggled particularly, but Brett might add a bit of extra zip into the backs from fly-half this week, something so sadly lacking in last week's 6-0 defeat.
The Force continue to frustrate. One week after taking the Brumbies apart in Canberra they fall rather innocuously to the Chiefs. It's a team obviously good enough to be at the business end of the competition but there is still a missing something - it could merely be self-belief.
They'll have to dig some of that out in Christchurch if they are to beat a smarting Crusaders side, but it's the kind of situation where a young gun can earn his stripes and 18-year-old centre James O'Connor could thrive here as he gets a rare start.
Crusaders: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Adam Whitelock, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Colin Slade, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 George Whitelock, 6 Kieran Read (c), 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Bronson Murray, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Dan Perrin, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Ross Filipo, 19 Nasi Manu, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Hamish Gard, 22 Blair Cook.
Force: 15 Drew Mitchell, 14 Nick Cummins, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 James O'Connor, 11 Cameron Shepherd, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Josh Valentine, 8 Tamaiti Horua, 7 David Pocock, 6 Richard Stanford, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 David Pusey, 3 Ben Castle, 2 Tai McIsaac, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 AJ Whalley, 18 Tom Hockings, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Chris O'Young, 21 Junior Pelesasa, 22 Haig Sare.
