Sam Whitelock will miss the Crusaders' semifinal against the Blues due to injury. Photo / Photosport
Sam Whitelock will miss the Crusaders' semifinal against the Blues due to injury. Photo / Photosport
The 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season has been a case of déjà vu for Crusaders coach Scott Robertson.
When the time comes to name his team for the week, Robertson has constantly had to fill holes in the matchday 23 as injuries have ravaged his squad.
For Friday night’s semifinalagainst the Blues in Christchurch, that trend has not changed.
The Crusaders will be without lock Sam Whitelock for the second week in a row, while loose forward Ethan Blackadder is also unavailable after leaving the pitch early last weekend.
Whitelock has been dealing with an Achilles issue for the past few weeks, after aggravating it against the Hurricanes in their final regular season fixture, in which he was substituted at halftime.
Blackadder suffered a quad injury just moments after being substituted onto the park in the team’s quarter-final against the Fijian Drua last weekend and left the pitch after just five minutes of action.
Robertson said Blackadder would not be available for a few weeks, ruling him out of the final should they make it, while Whitelock will be fighting to be fit.
“Ethan’s out for quite a while with a quad injury, and Sam - not this week,” Robertson said.
Ethan Blackadder of the Crusaders is congratulated by teammates after scoring a try. Photo / Photosport
Now in the knockout stages of the competition, Whitelock could have played his final game for the Crusaders, as he has signed a deal to play in France from next season.
If they do get past the Blues, the Crusaders would need the Brumbies to beat the Chiefs on Saturday night if they are to host the final and give Whitelock another chance to play in front of a home crowd.
“He’s doing everything he possibly can to play again, it’s just not this week,” Robertson said of Whitelock.
The Crusaders have been ravaged by injuries this campaign, losing many first-team players for the season including All Blacks Sevu Reece, George Bower, Joe Moody, Fletcher Newell, David Havili and Cullen Grace.
It’s nothing new for the Crusaders however, who have fielded 48 players this season.
“We talk about it as a squad; I stand up in front of the group and talk about it. We’re all Crusaders, it’s a team effort and whoever comes in is going to step up, and they have,” Robertson said.
“We always make sure there’s a touch point with a player who is injured; we play a tough game. It’s a physical game, we’re going to get injuries. They’re going to come - you acknowledge it, then move forward.”
The side has, however, been able to name a near unchanged squad from the side that beat the Fijian Drua in the quarter-finals, with the only changes coming on the bench as Blackadder and lock Zach Gallagher are replaced by Corey Kellow and Dominic Gardiner.
“I think any Crusaders team that is named will rise up to the occasion,” Robertson said of his side for the semifinal.
“It’s going to be a hell of a weekend; it’s got that feeling about it, doesn’t it? The crowd, the milestones on both sides are huge, so it’s just one of those games you want to play in.”
Crusaders: Will Jordan, Dallas McLeod, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Mitch Drummond, Christian Lio-Willie, Tom Christie, Sione Talitui Havili, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett, Oli Jager, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams.
