Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa Updates Live: Blues v Crusaders at Eden Park

All the action as the Blues take on the Crusaders.

Mark Sunday as the official return to the Blues and Crusaders rivalry, one that promises to extend beyond this weekend’s duel and decide the Super Rugby Aotearoa title.

The crusaders, in search of a fifth consecutive crown, hold the mantle that the blues desperately crave.

With a large home crowd and impeccable afternoon conditions to come, the Blues may not have a better chance of ending their seven-year drought against the red and black machine.

At this stage in the competition, with the Blues undefeated after two games, as well as the Crusaders after three, the outcome is far from fatal to the aspirations of the season, but it could determine who will host the inaugural finale. .

No ending last year and two canceled Covid-19 matches between Super Rugby’s star teams, one of which had 40,000 tickets sold, adds to the intrigue.

This weekend, Eden Park can finally reveal the New Zealand form team.

For a good part of the modern era, this showdown lost its headline fame as the Blues simply weren’t on the same level as the champion Christchurch franchise. For a long time, the Blues weren’t even close, and the Chiefs, Highlanders and Hurricanes all claimed more recent titles.

Predictability breeds apathy. It’s not like that.

The arrival of Leon MacDonald as head coach has revived the Blues, and in the third year of his tenure, a sense of the unknown looms again over a game against the Crusaders.

The Blues came close to an upset in Christchurch last year with Rieko Ioane’s 54-minute attempt establishing a 15-9 lead before the Crusaders, as is often the case, secured the fourth quarter for a 26- fifteen.

Since then, however, the Blues have significantly improved their package: the addition of the All Blacks ‘closed-head mainstay Nepo Laulala from the Chiefs’ example.

Winning his last five games at Eden Park, his best career since 2014, adds a level of comfort that was previously not tangible for the Blues.

“We’ve built a good home record and that means a little bit to us,” MacDonald said after making four initial changes to the team that crushed the Highlanders 39-17 in Auckland last week. “We want to turn Eden Park into a fortress and be really tough to beat there. We have succeeded so far in this competition and this is a good test for us.

“We are very confident in our game, we are starting to realize what we are good at and we do it more often, but when they push you, that’s something different.

“We have not immersed ourselves in the story, the motivation was already there for us. We felt we had a good chance to beat them in Christchurch last year, but a couple of mistakes cost us. We are aware of how you have to be because they make you. to pay.

“A lot of this is mental, staying for 83 minutes, working hard. A lot of teams come up and don’t show up, but that’s what you have to do to get the result.

With the America’s Cup over, and the Auld Mug expected to make an appearance via helicopter at Eden Park, attention, anticipation and pressure are mounting for the Blues.

“There is a lot of talk in the city when you walk the streets,” MacDonald said. “When I was a player, you started hearing from people on Monday and it definitely has that feeling.”

MacDonald has made two injuries to his squad, with All Blacks wing Dalton Papalii and right wing Mark Telea ruled out with a concussion. Former New Zealand seven silver medalist Bryce Heem ended his quarantine two weeks ago after returning from France and his size and experience have been preferred to rookies Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

The Blues lose some size in their loose trio with Blake Gibson replacing Papalii in form. Elsewhere, All Blacks mainstay Alex Hodgman, Tasmanian midfielder Finlay Christie and midfielder TJ Faiane return from injuries, the latter two off the bench.

Despite impressing last week on their debut, the Blues chose not to field Sam Darry, the towering lock who spent two years in the Crusaders academy system before switching north this season, with Josh Goodhue starting alongside the captain. Patrick Tuipuotu and Gerard Cowley-Tuioti in the pine.

The Crusaders have taken a hit with wing Tom Christie, this year’s best tackler, ruled out for the season with shoulder surgery. Sione Havili takes his place with All Black mainstay Joe Moody, loose forwards Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace and running back Bryn Hall, in their 100th Super Rugby match, promoted to starter.

MacDonald is well aware of the attacking threats posed by Will Jordan, Richie Mo’unga, Leicester Fainga’anuku, and Sevu Reece, but is equally certain where this contest will be won and lost.

“They have had a lot of dominance around their set pieces: their scrum, lineout and maul are world class. I don’t know if there are many teams around the world that are even better internationally. If you can find dominance in one. of those three, it’s a good start. “

Blues: Stephen Prophet, Bryce Heem, Rieko Ioane, Harry Plummer, Caleb Clarke, Otere Black, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotutu, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Josh Goodhue, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Nepo Laulala, Luteru Tolai, Alex Hodgman.

Bookings: Kurt Eklund, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Tom Robinson, Adrian Choat, Finlay Christie, TJ Faiane.

Crusaders: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Bryn Hall, Cullen Grace, Sione Havili Talitui, Ethan Blackadder, Samuel Whitelock, Scott Barrett (c), Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.

Bookings: Brodie McAlister, George Bower, Oliver Jager, Mitchell Dunshea, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Drummond, Fergus Burke, Dallas McLeod.