Crusaders Super rugby head coach Scott Robertson has named a team with one change for this Saturday’s Super rugby final in Christchurch.
The Crusaders are the current champions after they beat the Lions last year in the final. This weekend’s match will be the first time the Crusaders have played a Final on home soil since 2008.
Last week the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes in the Semi-final and Robertson has resisted change and made one alteration to the starting side and one change to the replacements bench.
In the No. 6 jersey, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis will start, in place of injured loose forward Jordan Taufua, who fractured his arm in the Semi-Final.
Last weekend’s reserve hooker, Seb Siataga, also fractured his arm in that match and has been replaced by Sam Anderson-Heather as back up to Codie Taylor.
In total, 19 of the Crusaders’ match day 23 named for this Saturday, were also involved in last year’s Final against the same opposition in Johannesburg.
Crusaders
1. Joe Moody , 2. Codie Taylor , 3. Owen Franks , 4. Scott Barrett , 5. Sam Whitelock (C) , 6. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis , 7. Matt Todd (VC), 8. Kieran Read, 9. Bryn Hall, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. George Bridge, 12. Ryan Crotty (VC), 13. Jack Goodhue, 14. Seta Tamanivalu, 15. David Havili
Replacements : 16. Sam Anderson-Heather, 17. Tim Perry, 18. Michael Alaalatoa, 19. Luke Romano, 20. Pete Samu, 21. Mitchell Drummond, 22. Mitchell Hunt, 23. Braydon Ennor