Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The Crusaders have rested captain Kieran Read for their Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.
Read, who recently captained the All Blacks to a 3-0 series win over France, has been included on the bench to help him shrug off a few injury niggles.
Luke Whitelock starts at No 8, while his brother George was made captain.
Elsewhere, Joe Moody starts at loosehead prop and Nepo Laulala at tighthead. Owen Franks is currently recovering from an elbow infection and is out of consideration.
Corey Flynn returns from a hamstring injury taking his place on the bench, giving the starting hooker position to Ben Funnell. Flynn could surpass Reuben Thorne by becoming the most capped Crusader with 130 caps if he makes an appearance.
Locks Tom Donnelly and Sam Whitelock make the starting XV, with Luke Romano on the bench.
The backs, however, have a more familiar look to it, with Tom Taylor coming in at inside centre moving Ryan Crotty to the outside and Robbie Fruean to the bench.
The clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium kicks off at 09:35 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Highlanders:
TBA
Crusaders:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Tom Taylor, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock (captain), 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Joe Moody.
Substitutes: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Luke Romano, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Robbie Fruean, 22 Adam Whitelock
Read, who recently captained the All Blacks to a 3-0 series win over France, has been included on the bench to help him shrug off a few injury niggles.
Luke Whitelock starts at No 8, while his brother George was made captain.
Elsewhere, Joe Moody starts at loosehead prop and Nepo Laulala at tighthead. Owen Franks is currently recovering from an elbow infection and is out of consideration.
Corey Flynn returns from a hamstring injury taking his place on the bench, giving the starting hooker position to Ben Funnell. Flynn could surpass Reuben Thorne by becoming the most capped Crusader with 130 caps if he makes an appearance.
Locks Tom Donnelly and Sam Whitelock make the starting XV, with Luke Romano on the bench.
The backs, however, have a more familiar look to it, with Tom Taylor coming in at inside centre moving Ryan Crotty to the outside and Robbie Fruean to the bench.
The clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium kicks off at 09:35 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Highlanders:
TBA
Crusaders:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Tom Taylor, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock (captain), 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Joe Moody.
Substitutes: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Luke Romano, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Robbie Fruean, 22 Adam Whitelock
