Crusaders reshape powerhouse rugby pack

The Super Rugby-leading Crusaders have the luxury of dropping All Blacks tight forwards Wyatt Crockett and Luke Romano to the bench against the Waratahs.

All Blacks have replaced All Blacks in a shuffled Crusaders pack named for their Super Rugby match against the Waratahs in Sydney.

The competition leaders will take an unchanged backline into Sunday's clash but coach Scott Robertson has made two changes to his forwards, along with two positional switches.

From the starting team who hammered the Force 45-17 at home, prop Wyatt Crockett drops to the bench along with fellow-Test lock Luke Romano.

First-choice All Blacks loosehead Joe Moody is back in the No.1 jersey while rising Test lock Scott Barrett returns to his preferred position after starting last week on the blindside flank.

Jordan Taufua jumps from the back to the side of the scrum, with Whetu Douglas restored at No.8.

Key backs Israel Dagg, Seta Tamanivalu and Richie Mo'unga remain sidelined with injuries while All Blacks skipper Kieran Read is only two weeks shy of an expected first start of 2017. Read is scheduled to play club rugby next week.

The Crusaders have won all five games but needed to mount furious comebacks in three of them before last week's romp against the Force in Christchurch.

The Waratahs launched their own comeback last week to down the Rebels 32-25, ending a string of three losses.

The New South Wales side will be buoyed by having beaten the Crusaders in their past two meetings in Sydney, including the 2014 final.

CRUSADERS: David Havili, Digby Ioane, Tim Bateman, Ryan Crotty, George Bridge, Mitchell Hunt, Mitchell Drummond, Whetu Douglas, Matt Todd, Jordan Taufua, Sam Whitelock (capt), Scott Barrett, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. RESERVES: Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett, Michael Alaalatoa, Luke Romano, Pete Samu, Bryn Hall, Marty McKenzie, Manasa Mataele.


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Source: AAP



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