There’s a reason assistant coach Jason Ryan refers to the Crusaders’ pack as being one of the hardest to crack in the country.
Competition for spots is fierce, something this week fuelled by the return of All Blacks Sam Whitelock and Codie Taylor for Saturday night’s season opener against the Hurricanes in Dunedin.
They’re two of six returning All Blacks expected to be named in the Crusaders’ 23 on Thursday, joining four others – Scott Barrett, Braydon Ennor, George Bridge and Joe Moody – who featured in the pre-season finale.
Forwards coach Ryan confirmed the 39-strong contingent in their Queenstown bubble, highlighted by their All Blacks, were fit and available for round one.
It leaves Richie Mo’unga (extended leave), Ethan Blackadder (hamstring) and Jack Goodhue (knee) as the notable exceptions when head coach Scott Robertson and his assistants nut out their first team of the season.
“We always say it’s one of the hardest forward packs in the country to make. But we’re into game one, there is always opportunities to give other guys a crack [later]. We’ve just got to make sure we’re giving everyone the love, that’s my job, whether they are in the 23 or playing their part and contributing to the 23 getting ready in training.”
Clearly, Whitelock and captain Scott Barrett are the front-runners to start in the second row, leaving Mitchell Dunshea and Quinten Strange chasing a spot on the pine.
Having lost veteran tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa in the off-season, Ryan also likes the pressure Oli Jager and second-year players Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell are putting on them.
Williams and Newell are coming off “unbelievable” pre-seasons, Ryan said, and expected all three props to play a signifiant role during Super Rugby Pacific.
Among other hotly contested positions, just who Robertson opts to start in the midfield will be intriguing, even with Goodhue’s continued absence – he’s due back in April – making his job slightly easier.
Will he roll with David Havili and Braydon Ennor, leaving Leicester Fainga’anuku, who was so impressive at centre when Ennor was injured last year, to fight it out for a spot on the wings?
What’s clear is the Hurricanes, who themselves will field a bolstered side, can expect to face a vastly different Crusaders team from the one they pipped in their pre-season match last week.
“Yeah, it was interesting talking to Jason Holland after the game…first thing was ‘no injuries, can’t wait for next week’. You’re just getting game time into the boys, you can’t read too much into it, to be honest,” Ryan said.
“There was a couple of common themes we’ve seen, and no doubt they’ve seen exactly the same with us. It’s a different beast this week, and it’s game one, and we’re honestly really looking forward to the contest, it’s going to be a beauty playing under the roof. It will be quick and physical and both teams will get stuck in.”
