All Blacks star ‘feeling good and ready’ ahead of long-awaited Super Rugby Pacific return
All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor on the charge for the Crusaders.
Experienced All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor will make his first Super Rugby Pacific appearance of the season for the Crusaders when they face the Reds in Christchurch on Sunday.
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney has made two changes after his team’s Round Two defeat against the Chiefs with Taylor coming into the starting line-up as a replacement for Ioane Moananu, while Dallas McLeod replaces Levi Aumua at outside centre.
Moananu and Aumua have both been included on the Crusaders’ bench with George Bower, Sam Matenga, Tahlor Cahill and Corey Kellow the other forward replacements, while Mitchell Drummond and James O’Connor complete the backline cover.
Taylor has been sidelined for the Crusaders‘ first two matches due to a hamstring injury but is fully fit now and raring to go against the Reds.
‘I’m feeling good now and ready to get back out there’
“They’ve been managing me quite well here and I’m feeling good now and ready to get back out there,” said Taylor. “Me and the assault bike have become best friends over the last couple of weeks and I’m quite happy I can hopefully say goodbye to him for a wee while.”
Joining Taylor in a formidable front-row are fellow All Blacks Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell, who will pack down at loosehead and tighthead prop respectively.
The rest of the pack has a familiar look to it with Scott Barrett and Antonio Shalfoon packing down in the second-row again, while Cullen Grace and Ethan Blackadder start on the flanks and Christian Lio-Willie at number eight.
Meanwhile, Kyle Preston and Taha Kemara will continue as the starting halfback duo alongside captain David Havili and McLeod, who will form the midfield combination.
Will Jordan retains his position at full-back while Sevu Reece and Chay Fihaki will again start on the wings.
Meanwhile, it will be a momentous occasion for Wallabies utility back O’Connor when he comes off the bench against his former club and he expects a tough challenge from the Brisbane-based outfit.
“They’re coming off two good wins, they’ll be full of confidence, and they’ll be coming here to do a job,” he said.
Much has been said about how exciting the first three rounds of Super Rugby Pacific has been and O’Connor expects more entertaining action this weekend.
“Everyone is talking about how high scoring the competition is, it’s because they’re speeding the game up, there’s more fatigue out there, even for me as a goal kicker, I’m still getting my breath and I’m getting the 10-second call to kick the ball,” he added.
“I’m enjoying it, there’s more attacking pictures and for the fans it must be pretty cool to watch.”
Crusaders team to face the Reds
Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Dallas McLeod, 12 David Havili (c), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Kyle Preston, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Cullen Grace, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 George Bower, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Levi Aumua
Date: Sunday, March 9
Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch
Kick-off: 15:35 local (02:35 GMT)
Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jeremy Markey (Australia), Jackson Henshaw (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
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