KEY POINTS:
Not exactly household names are they? Think George Whitelock, Kade Poki, Nasi Manu, Ti'i Paulo, Sean Maitland, Hamish Gard, Michael Paterson, Kahn Fotuali'i, Tim Bateman and Steve Fualau.
All members of the Crusaders squad, all have been used in the campaign which reaches its summit in tonight's Super
14 decider against the Waratahs.
They have played when others needed a spell or to help when those like Campbell Johnstone, Ross Filipo and now Corey Flynn have succumbed to serious injuries.
The Crusaders have their share of celebrated members - think Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter, Leon MacDonald, Greg Somerville and Reuben Thorne - but their strength is their ability to draw on anyone in the group, a trust which comes initially from canny selection and then valued instruction from the coaching pool led by Robbie Deans.
They work incredibly hard at blending their collective standards, building their camaraderie; like the other day when Deans indulged his passion for jetboating and took Whitelock and Brad Thorn along for the ride up the Waimakariri. It all helps.
Bateman and Poki are in the starting group tonight, while Fualau, Manu, Maitland and Fotuali'i are on the bench, players Deans has pushed and then relied on as his time at the Crusaders nears its end.
That Super 14 conviction gets a final test against the Waratahs before he switches into Ocker mode for the next four years - unless he suffers the same exit fate as his Waratahs counterpart Ewen McKenzie.
The Waratahs will bring the sort of physical inquisition needed if sides are to upset the Crusaders, the sort of relentless ploughing momentum and pounding defence which the Highlanders used to rattle up a slick win only a fortnight ago.
Any team with Phil Waugh scavenging at the breakdowns, the lineout dominance of Daniel Vickerman and the bludgeoning ball-carrying of Wycliff Palu cannot be dismissed. But they will not upset the Crusaders scrum nor do they have the midfield thrust or kicking to match their hosts.
The Crusaders responded last week against the Hurricanes and they seem in the zone, ready for a repeat tonight.
And if it comes down to goalkicking then Daniel Carter is well in front of Kurtley Beale, a talented but erratic kicker who has only been kicking about 50 per cent in his past few pressure matches. Carter's tactical kicking has so much length that it becomes a liability for the defenders to counter from so deep.
The classy five-eighths said there had been no room for any sentimental concerns before the match.
"Nothing's really changed, we've gone through all the usual routines," Carter said. "We're here as a team and I'm sure those guys leaving won't be thinking about that at all until after the game. Hopefully we can send them off in the right way."
A Crusaders' win may also push a few fringe All Black candidates such as Casey Laulala, Stephen Brett, Mose Tuiali'i, Kieran Read and Ben Franks into the national squad to be revealed tomorrow.
The booty tonight is huge - a signature session for the Crusaders - but the all-important spin-off comes tomorrow.
