Another test of Crusaders' depth
Chiefs v Crusaders, FMG Stadium, Hamilton, August 1, 7.05pm
Immunity from injuries in Super Rugby Aotearoa is proving as elusive as a Covid-19 vaccine and the leaders, the Crusaders, head to Hamilton to play the winless Chiefs on Saturday further down on experience.
A family bereavement has meant All Blacks loosehead prop Joe Moody won't be making the trip while a knee injury suffered by No 8 Whetukamokamo Douglas has resulted in a significant change to the Crusaders' loose forwards trio.
George Bower will replace Moody while Tom Sanders will play at No 8 with Sione Havili fitting in on the blindside flank.
Centre Braydon Ennor has still not recovered from his foot injury. Add to the list the season-ending injuries suffered by captain Scott Barrett, loose forwards Cullen Grace and Ethan Blackadder and utility back David Havili and the Crusaders are just as vulnerable in this tight competition as any of the other sides.
Assistant coach Scott Hansen said the Crusaders were well aware of the threat the Chiefs represented, especially given the recent history between the sides.
"There has been some massive battles in the past. Think of the times with Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith there, and that feeling is still there when we play the Chiefs. It's always a tough one up there, they're a proud group and playing in front of their people they'll be excited," he said.
It may also be All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock's 150th game for the side but he and the pack will be more interested in sorting out the lineout issues that contributed to their loss to the Hurricanes in their last outing.
The issues had been discussed and all were aware of the need to be better.
Fetuli Paea gets another start at centre in Ennor's absence, a likely testing point the Chiefs will probe in Hamilton.
"He is excited with where he needs to be on attack and 'd' [defence], he made some good reads on the weekend defensively.
"Also, there are some areas to continue to work on with him with his game, but that's what you do with young guys. He's got a great burst of energy, and he can be dynamic in contact both with and without the ball," he said.
Rival coach Warren Gatland knows well the situation having been without All Blacks almost for the duration of the competition but while winless he was looking to the longer term and the benefits his team will have had with younger players getting more exposure.
While the side had been on the end of some wrong refereeing decisions they couldn't afford to dwell on that. Rather it was a case of realising how close they were to success and to continue working to achieve that, he said.
"We're playing in the toughest competition in the world and they're going to be close. Sometimes things go for you and sometimes they don't and at the moment we're on the wrong side but that's rugby, that's sport and it's professional sport," he said.
Gatland also acknowledged that the referees were benefitting from the scrutiny and it was a process that would be important in New Zealand referees getting more international appointments in the future.
They were no different from players and coaches in wanting to get better, he said.
Looking to the Crusaders, he said it was an exciting game for the Chiefs who were still motivated by pride and who were as determined as ever to put the Crusaders under pressure in order to produce mistakes they could capitalise on.
The teams are:
Chiefs: 1.Reuben O'Neill, 2.Bradley Slater, 3.Nepo Laulala, 4.Tupou Vaa'i, 5.Mitchell Brown, 6.Lachlan Boshier, 7.Sam Cane (captain), 8.Pita Gus Sowakula, 9.Brad Weber, 10.Aaron Cruden, 11.Sean Wainui, 12.Alex Nankivell, 13.Anton Lienert-Brown, 14.Shaun Stevenson, 15.Damian McKenzie.
Substitutes: 16.Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17.Ollie Norris, 18.Angus Ta'avao, 19.Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20.Simon Parker, 21.Lisati Milo-Harris, 22.Kaleb Trask, 23.Quinn Tupaea.
Crusaders: 1.George Bower, 2.Codie Taylor (captain), 3.Michael Alaalatoa, 4.Sam Whitelock, 5.Mitchell Dunshea, 6.Sione Havili, 7.Tom Christie, 8.Tom Sanders, 9.Mitchell Drummond, 10.Richie Mo'unga, 11.George Bridge, 12.Jack Goodhue, 13.Fetuli Paea, 14.Sevu Reece, 15.Will Jordan.
Substitutes: 16.Andrew Makalio, 17.Isileli Tu'ungafasi, 18.Oliver Jager, 19.Quinten Strange, 20.Billy Harmon, 21.Bryn Hall, 22.Brett Cameron, 23.Leicester Fainga'anuku.