Kieran Read is back for the Crusaders, a boost for a table-topping team who will be hoping to significantly lift their points differential against the Sunwolves, one of the poorest defensive teams in the competition, in Christchurch on Friday.
It will be the first time the Sunwolves, thrashed by 80 points by the Hurricanes in Tokyo in round one, have played in New Zealand, and it is likely to be the start of a very difficult tour.
Following the Crusaders match at AMI Stadium, the battlers from Japan who surprised everyone by beating the Bulls last weekend, take on the Highlanders, Chiefs and Jaguares, the latter in Buenos Aires. Mere survival will probably be the aim for them, otherwise Sanzaar might wonder if they are cutting the wrong teams from next year.
Regardless, the Crusaders game will be a memorable one not only for Read, the All Blacks captain and No8 returning from a wrist injury for his first match of the year, but also for Wyatt Crockett, who will make a record 176th Super Rugby appearance, and wings Seta Tamanivalu and Manasa Mataele, an uncle and nephew partnership which is surely unique for the competition.
"It will be special for their village, special for Fiji and special for us," Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said of the pair. "They have a great relationship, and hopefully they score a few tries."
