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Preview: Crusaders v Lions
Sportal.co.nz - (19/03/2010)
Life on the road doesn't get any easier for the Lions and even with a reduced Crusaders side, in terms of experience, it will be a daunting prospect in Christchurch on Saturday.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 14 – Crusaders 10, Transvaal/Gauteng/Cats/Lions 4.
LAST TIME: April 28, 2009 (Johannesburg) – Lions 20-32 Crusaders.
LAST TIME AT VENUE: May 1, 2008 – Crusaders 31-6 Lions.
WALKING WOUNDED: Brad Thorn, who has a slight sternum injury, sits this one out but there will be a lot of interest in his replacement in the matchday 22, Chris Jack, who is booked to play his first Super 14 match in 34 months off the bench. As expected Todd Blackadder has rested a number of leading players although Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett and George Whitelock are on the bench just in case. The Lions continue to rotate through their squad looking for a team than can compete; the two most notable changes are on the bench this week where two big names, Carlos Spencer and last year's top prop Heinke van der Merwe, wait for a chance as reserves rather than starters.
FORM:
PAST FIVE Crusaders:
Round 1: Beat Highlanders 32-17
Round 2: Lost to Reds 20-41
Round 3: Beat Sharks 35-6
Round 4: Beat Blues 33-20
Round 5: Beat Chiefs 26-19
PAST FIVE Lions:
Round 1: Lost to Stormers 13-26
Round 2: Lost to Chiefs 65-72
Round 3: Lost to Hurricanes 18-33
Round 4: Lost to Brumbies 14-23
Round 5: Lost to Waratahs 12-73
The Crusaders had to work hard to overcome the Chiefs last week but never really looked like losing, even if the game was always close. Some of the Crusaders play was clinical and the way they advanced the ball in close-quarter rushes would have pleased everyone associated with the team. The lineout was rough on their own ball, however, and some of the tackling was ordinary – things that will surely be addressed this week. The Crusaders did pounce on opposition errors and, given the Lions awful ball retention in recent matches, this could be a significant source of points on Saturday evening. There's no truth in the rumour Dick Muir had to be talked down off the Sydney Harbour Bridge last weekend, but his charges looked more like a moderate high school team than a fully professional outfit and made so many basic errors the Waratahs couldn't help posting a record score. The scrum, handling and tackling were all ghastly – again - so it's no surprise the Lions have leaked 29 tries in five matches and have conceded 70 points more than the next worse defence already. A third of the way into the competition they look favourites for 14th spot, and that's only because there aren't 15 teams in the field.
WHO'S HOT: Kieran Read had a storming match for the Crusaders last week, even if he's never doing flashy stuff. His work-rate was huge and his presence in close-quarter play, allied to his ability to offload, kept his team going forward most of the night. Kahn Fotuali'i was the principal beneficiary, scoring two tries in a very good all-round display that showed he's capable of running a match at this level. Daniel Carter goes into this match on 996 Super rugby points and should become the second player to top the thousand. Ryan Crotty, who has had a sound season in midfield, might well be thinking of gaps and multiple linebreaks, bearing in mind the fragility of the Lions inner defence this year. The woeful form of the Lions must be depressing for a whole-hearted trier like Cobus Grobbelaar, but one man can hardly cover the failings of so many. Todd Clever also gets a pass mark so far but the loosies would prefer it if the inside backs held onto the ball occasionally or did a bit of tackling now and again so they could actually go forward to breakdowns rather than tracking back trying to catch rampaging opposition three-quarters.
WE THINK: It's highly doubtful anyone will be swayed by this bit – everyone involved in tipping competitions will do this game in two seconds flat – but the number of people who give the Lions any shot could be counted on a careless sawmiller's left hand. If the Crusaders don't win by a seriously large margin and take a bonus point, there should be calls for swabbing both teams.
TEAMS:
Crusaders: 1. Ben Franks, 2.Ti'i Paulo, 3.Owen Franks, 4. Sam Whitelock, 5.Isaac Ross, 6.Richie McCaw (captain), 7.Jonathon Poff, 8.Thomas Waldrom, 9.Kahn Fotuali'i, 10.Colin Slade, 11.Zac Guildford, 12.Ryan Crotty, 13. Adam Whitelock, 14.Sean Maitland, 15.Jared Payne.
Reserves: 16.Corey Flynn, 17. Wyatt Crockett, 18.Chris Jack, 19. George Whitelock, 20.Willie Heinz, 21. Daniel Carter, 22. Robbie Fruean.
Lions: 1. Janse van Rensburg, 2.Hannes Franklin, 3.Ross Geldenhuys, 4.George Earle, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 6.Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 7.Derick Minnie, 8.Todd Clever, 9.Jano Vermaak JP Joubert, 10. Burton Francis, 11.Wandile Mjekevu, 12.Doppies la Grange, 13.Walter Venter, 14.Wigan Pekeur, 15.Earl Rose.
Reserves: 16.Charles Emslie, 17.Heinke van der Merwe, 18. Willem Stoltz, 19.Robert Kruger or Jacques Lombaard, 20.Jacques Coetzee, 21. Carlos Spencer, 22.Michael Killian.
REFEREE: Keith Brown
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