Rugby: Crusaders seek to end Reds' run

Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images

Buoyed by the retention of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and key front rowers Wyatt Crockett and Corey Flynn the Crusaders risk having their party balloons burst by the Reds in a Super 15 rugby match in Brisbane on Sunday night.

The Reds left the Blues deflated when they visited Brisbane this month in what was billed as a potential dress rehearsal for the final and the Crusaders, who got a boost this week with McCaw signing on for four more years and Crockett and Flynn also extending their deals, must win or face the prospect of dropping out of the playoff spots.

They welcome back All Blacks Brad Thorn and Sonny Bill Williams to their starting 15, but remain ravaged by injuries, with Israel Dagg, Sean Maitland, Kahn Fotuali'i, Adam Whitelock, Andy Ellis and Sam Whitelock all out of contention for the match.

Coach Todd Blackadder is aware of the challenge the table-topping Reds, who are seeking their 12th successive home win, pose to the Crusaders.

"This promises to be a massive match. The Reds are unbeaten at home this season and are on top of the table. But we're looking forward to the challenge and I'm confident we'll give a good account of ourselves," he said.

A win for the Crusaders will see them cement a place in the top six, which they will retain next week courtesy of the automatic four points they get from a timely bye.

But they need only look at the experience of the Blues to be cautious of the Reds.

The Blues went into the match in second place on the table but were 0-24 down inside 35 minutes Quade Cooper took centre stage before staging a revival to lose 31-37.

The Crusaders will know how other playoff contenders have fared before their match starts.

The Highlanders, who sit in the sixth and final post-season spot, face the Lions in Dunedin on Saturday before the third-placed Stormers, who inflicted a second successive defeat on the Blues last weekend, look to maintain their hold atop the South African conference when they travel to Canberra to play the underperforming Brumbies.

The Highlanders, fresh from a bye week, are wary of the danger of underestimating the John Mitchell-coached Lions, who have already upset the Brumbies on their Australasian trip and who managed to keep the Waratahs scoreless in the second half last week.

Number eight Nasi Manu said the bye came at the right time for the southerners, who realise they must keep winning to stay on course for the finals.

"We just take it week by week and every game is a must-win for us. We just need to perform to the best of our ability. If we don't, we lose. I guess it's as simple as that," he said.

Elsewhere, the Bulls' hopes of defending the title may suffer terminal damage if they fail to end the Cheetahs' four-game winning streak in Pretoria on Sunday morning, while the losers of the Sharks and Waratahs in Durban face the prospect of drifting out of the playoffs picture.

Before any of this, the Hurricanes and Western Force meet in a battle of the also-rans in Palmerston North tomorrow night.

The Hurricanes' season may have been effectively over for a number of weeks now, but coach Mark Hammett remains determined to extract a quality performance from his charges as he seeks to build towards next season.

With a host of senior Hurricanes set to leave the franchise at the end of the year, Hammett has one eye on the future, with promising hooker Dane Coles starting in place of captain Andrew Hore.

Hammett's injury-blighted backline is back to almost full strength with All Blacks Conrad Smith and Cory Jane recovering from respective nose and hamstring injuries while the Force have been hit with their own injury scourge.

Coach Richard Graham is without former Hurricane Willie Ripia, utility back James O'Connor, halfback Brett Sheehan, centre Gene Fairbanks and prop Pek Cowan for the match and has been forced to partner the inexperienced halfback Mark Swanepoel with the equally green James Stannard.

While Ripia misses the match, other ex-Hurricanes, prop Tim Fairbrother and winger David Smith will get the chance to get one over on their former teammates.

The Blues, Chiefs and Rebels have the weekend off.

- NZPA