KEY POINTS:
Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has made five changes to last week's team for Saturday's first Super 14 rugby semifinal 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 centre Casey Laulala and second-five-eighth Tim Bateman taking over from Caleb Ralph and Stephen Brett.
Brett, winger Sean Maitland, Thorne and Franks are on the bench. Ralph has been omitted from the match day squad.
Deans said changes to the starting 15 that lost 14-26 to the Highlanders last weekend were performance-related.
Hamilton has fond memories of a previous semifinal against the Hurricanes. He scored three tries in that 47-7 win at the same venue in 2005.
Deans says the Glenmark back's greater experience gave him the nod ahead of 19-year-old Maitland.
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 Queensland Reds.
Bateman had performed strongly starting in the second-five-eighths 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 says.
"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.
The NSW Waratahs host the Sharks in the second semifinal later on Saturday.
Crusaders
Leon MacDonald, Kade Poki, Casey Laulala, Tim Bateman, Scott Hamilton, Daniel Carter, Andrew Ellis, Mose Tuiali'i, Richard McCaw (captain), Kieran Read, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Corey Flynn, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Ti'i Paulo, Ben Franks, Reuben Thorne, Nasi Manu, Kahn Fotuali'i, Stephen Brett Sean Maitland.
- NZPA
