Tag Archives: Crusaders Rugby

Wales take on New Zealand today in Cardiff. We take a look at three exciting head to heads.

The 2015 World Cup winner is reportedly set to move to Japan once his contract at Racing 92 expires next summer.

Julian Savea faces his home country as the Barbarians name a strong team for tomorrow's game.

Beauden Barrett has been named as All Blacks captain for their clash against the Barbarians on Saturday.

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has named his starting XV for Saturday’s Super Rugby final against the Lions in Johannesburg. Robertson has named an unchanged starting fifteen and bench, meaning the seven-time champions go into their twelfth Super Rugby final with an unchanged match-day 23 for the third game in a row. Here is our team for the @SuperRugbyNZ Final against …

Steve Hansen has picked three new players in his extended training squad for next month’s Rugby Championship. Included for the first time in the 34-man squad are Highlanders utility back Richard Buckman and second-row Tom Franklin, as well as Chiefs tighthead Atu Moli. The versatile Buckman can play at centre, full-back as well as on the wing and was part …

The Super Rugby semi-finals saw the Crusaders beat the Chiefs 27-13 and the Lions avenge last year’s final defeat to the Hurricanes 44-29. All this leads to an exceptionally exciting final this weekend. There was a number of players who impressed last weekend as the southern hemisphere club season is set to close on a high note. Here is a …

This season’s Super Rugby competition is nearing its conclusion with the semi-finals set to take place this weekend. First up is the all New Zealand clash between the Crusaders and the Chiefs in Christchurch before the Lions and Hurricanes battle it out in Johannesburg.  The home side has name an unchanged team to the one that defeated the Highlanders in …

New Zealand rugby has been given a boost with the news that centre Ryan Crotty has extended his stay there for one more year. Nelson-born Crotty has put pen to paper on a deal which will see him turn out for the All Blacks, Crusaders and Canterbury for another year. A clever footballer, the 28-year-old has earned 27 caps for …

The new buzz word amongst the Lions coaching management is ‘chaos’. Lions assistant coach, and attack guru, Rob Howley used the word to describe New Zealand’s lethal form of unstructured rugby nine times in Tuesday’s press conference. But has he chosen the wrong word in helping the Lions to prepare for the challenges ahead? If you watch highlights of the …

After the British and Irish Lions’ less than convincing 13-7 victory over the New Zealand Barbarians many media hacks in both hemispheres have already sounded the death knell for the ten-match tour. But do first impressions really count? We raise five questions for the Lions team, which need urgent answers. _________ 1. Jet Lag Or Just Bad? These are the …

Most of our focus was on this morning’s clash between the British and Irish Lions and the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians in Whangarei but if you were lucky enough to get up (or stay up) extra early to catch the Crusaders v Highlanders clash in Christchurch then we are jealous…very, very jealous.  By all accounts, it was an incredibly exciting …

As the Lions finally put boot to grass tomorrow against the New Zealand Barbarians, anticipation is rising about the All Black squad to be named on June 8 and which players will be kitted out in black.  Here we have five key questions for the selectors to contemplate. ________ 1. Is Form Temporary And Class (And Experience) Permanent? This shapes …

Before departing for New Zealand, Warren Gatland has given a broad hint that he will protect his starting XV ahead of the All Blacks Tests. If he does so, it may well be a gamble which pays off in the Test matches. But spare a thought (and maybe a prayer) for the second team as their Tour could become a …

The Crusaders backline was supposed to struggle in the Super 18 this year. A new coach, the loss of key weapon Nemani Nadolo and retirement of stalwart Andy Ellis meant that 2017 should have been a year of transition. Instead, the Crusaders are on a hugely impressive 10-match unbeaten streak which has led a growing number of commentators ask: are …

The Lions tour of New Zealand could be a disaster if the tourists fail to match the All Blacks and the five New Zealand Super 18 sides’ pace, strength and skills. One statistic highlights the daunting challenge in front of Warren Gatland’s men: in nine rounds and 44 games, the five New Zealand Super 18 sides have only lost once …

After the conclusion of the thrilling Six Nations campaign, all attention has turned to the upcoming Lions tour of New Zealand. So, which Super Rugby sides can be most easily compared to an Aviva Premiership outfit? Australian Conference Brumbies/Wasps In the mid-2000s these teams were the greatest to ever grace their respective competitions, however a sudden spate of retirements resulted …