CRUSADERS

Tuesday 30th January 2007

The talk around the Christchurch camp is that this side is going to struggle without their star All Blacks - captain Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter, Chris Jack, Leon MacDonald, Aaron Mauger, Greg Somerville and Reuben Thorne.

On the surface of it, and judging by the holes those names leave in their absence, the talk may well be true.

No doubt it's going to be a near thing for the Crusaders. The core of the side is out for seven weeks, and the make of the squad consists of twelve rookies, so expect a few tight games, a few wins in South Africa, and then this dominant team to crack it on from week eight for a semi-final spot.

You just have to look at their structures to know they can overcome the obstacles.

They dominated the Super 12, winning it five times - as much as all the other teams together. Then they added the inaugural Super 14 title to that. Clearly they are a team of pedigree players, right out of the top drawer.

There is something about them that shouts 'champions' every year. No matter how poor they look in the early stages, you just know they will recover sooner rather than later and put together a series of performances that gets them into the play-offs.

And once there, the play-offs, they seem to suddenly grow bigger in stature. Those mere mortal become super humans as they sweep all before them.

The Crusaders have the recipe right and you can't argue with six titles in 11 years.

Strengths: Great structures and a game plan that ensures the opposition always pays for mistakes. But most of all they will be captained - in the absence of Richie McCaw for the first seven weeks - by Corey Flynn. In this squad - even in the absence of the conditioning All Blacks - there are eight players with international Test experience. They are Flynn himself, scrum-halves Andrew Ellis and Kevin Senio, prop Campbell Johnstone, number eight Mose Tuiali'i, centre Casey Laulala, as well as wings Rico Gear and Caleb Ralph.

Weakness: Not many but maybe they will struggle to fill all the gaps if there are injuries during the first half of the season when the All Blacks are absent.

Noteworthy signings: Rua Tipoki (from the Blues), Brent Ward (via the draft), Tusi Pisi (via the draft), Jake Paringatai (via the draft), Ben May (Tasman Makos).

Noteworthy losses: The biggest loss is All Black prop Greg Somerville, who has been ruled out for the season with an injury. And then there's the players in the All Black conditioning programme: Regular Crusaders skipper Richard McCaw, Reuben Thorne, Daniel Carter, Aaron Mauger, Leon MacDonald and Chris Jack.

Coach: The coach is Robbie Deans - a great player and a great coach, a thoughtful man who can get a team to play thrilling rugby. He has the art of combining organisation and freedom of expression.

Captain: Corey Flynn will captain the Crusaders for the first seven rounds, until the conditioning All Blacks come on stream. No doubt Flynn will be out to remind the national selectors of his talents ahead of the World Cup. Richie McCaw, one of the great players of modern rugby, then returns. He is brave and a relentless fetcher, which means that he is a committed team man and will lead from the front. He is, as he deserves to be, a hero and an inspiration to many around the world.

Player(s) to watch: In the absence of their top All Blacks it will fall on the other senior players to guide the youngsters through troubled waters - the likes of Corey Flynn, Andrew Ellis, Ross Filipo, Rico Gear, Scott Hamilton, Campbell Johnstone, Casey Laulala, Johnny Leo'o and Caleb Ralph.

2006 Position: Champions
Best finish: Winners - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
Worst finish: 12th in Super 12 in 1996
Home Venue: Jade Stadium, Christchurch (capacity 36,500)

2007 Prediction: Yes, they may struggle at first, but bet your bottom dollar they will finish among the top four. And then they'll have their best players back. The winners - yet again

Crusaders squad: Richard McCaw (captain), Corey Flynn (captain for the first sevens weeks), Tim Bateman, Stephen Brett, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Andrew Ellis, Ross Filipo, Ben Franks, Rico Gear, Scott Hamilton, Chris Jack, Campbell Johnstone, Casey Laulala, Johnny Leo'o, Leon MacDonald, Aaron Mauger, Ben May, Peter Nixon, Kevin O'Neill, Jake Paringatai, Ti'i Paulo, Michael Paterson, Tusi Pisi, Jonathan Poff, Caleb Ralph, Kieran Read, Isaac Ross, Kevin Senio, Greg Somerville, Reuben Thorne, Rua Tipoki, Mose Tuiali'i, Brent Ward, Paul Williams.

Schedule:

2 February: v Blues, away
10 February: v Reds, home
18 February: v Lions, away
25 February: v Cheetahs, away
4 March: v Sharks, away
9/10 March: BYE
17 March: v Bulls, home
24 March: v Stormers, home
31 March: v Waratahs, away
7 April: v Western Force, home
14 April: v Highlanders, away
20 April: v Hurricanes, home
28 April: v Brumbies, away
4 May: v Chiefs, home