News

Brett benched for semis

May 22 2008

Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has made five changes to last week's team for Saturday's Super 14 semi-final against the Hurricanes in Christchurch.

In the pack, prop Wyatt Crockett and blindside flanker Kieran Read come in for Ben Franks and Reuben Thorne respectively.

Winger Scott Hamilton returns to the backline where there is a change to the midfield combination, with outside centre Casey Laulala and inside centre Tim Bateman taking over from Caleb Ralph and Stephen Brett.

Brett played in midfield outside Daniel Carter in the lacklustre loss to the Highlanders, where some concerns about his defensive solidity were exposed.

The 22-year-old can attack with the best of them but his defence, especially when he operates in midfield, has come under scrutiny.

Brett, winger Sean Maitland, Thorne and Franks are on the bench. Ralph has been omitted from the matchday squad alltogether.

Deans said changes to the starting XV that lost 14-26 to the Highlanders last weekend were performance-related.

Hamilton has fond memories of a previous semi-final against the Hurricanes. He scored three tries in that 47-7 win at the same venue in 2005.

Deans says the two-Test All Black's greater experience gave him the nod ahead of 19-year-old Maitland.

However, Round Eleven was the last time Hamilton played in this year's competition and he has been playing club rugby in the meantime.

Laulala was always scheduled to return, after being allowed to start from the bench against the Highlanders following a knock he had sustained the previous week against the Reds.

Bateman had performed strongly starting in the inside centre position during the seven matches prior to last weekend, when he came from the bench.

After returning from an injury-enforced five-week break last weekend, Thorne has given way to Read.

"We needed to get Reuben started again after his injury, and last weekend gave us the opportunity to do that, but Kieran offers us greater match fitness and is the incumbent, which is why he is starting," Deans told NZPA.

"The match will be intense so all of the players can expect to be involved at some stage."

Crockett is the only player in the run-on side who did not start when the Crusaders edged out the Hurricanes 20-13 at Wellington during the round-robin on March 28.

Deans said the side was not looking back at last weekend's defeat by the Highlanders.

"We'll take on board the lessons that are to be learned from the experience," he said.

"Last week was the end of that phase of the competition - the quest to make the play-offs.

"We start a new and exciting phase at 19.35pm (08:35 GMT) on Saturday and it is 0-0.

"Nothing that has gone before really matters now," .

The Waratahs host the Sharks in the second semi-final later on Saturday.

Crusaders: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Kade Poki, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Scott Hamilton, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Andrew Ellis, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Richard McCaw (c), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Replacement: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Reuben Thorne, 19 Nasi Manu, 20 Kahn Fotuali'i, 21 Stephen Brett, 22 Sean Maitland.

Date: Saturday, May 24

Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch

Kick-off: 19:35 (08:35 GMT)

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

Touch Judges: Matt Goddard, Paul Marks (Australia)

TMO: Geoff Acton (Australia)