The Crusaders coach said it would be unfair to throw the All Blacks fullback straight back into the fray when he was still struggling with his game.

Mealamu is heading into his 148th match of Super rugby after recovering from the latest strain on those piston calves which deliver such an explosive impact.

It's been nine years since the Blues travelled south and beat the Crusaders in their backyard. In that time the Crusaders have claimed three Super rugby titles, finished runners-up twice and lost four semifinals.

Shortly after Dan Carter expressed his delight at returning to the Crusaders' starting line-up against the Brumbies, he mentioned how once again the men from Canberra are the team to beat, just as they were at the start of his career.

The hunt for a victory continues for the Highlanders. For the Crusaders, a different quest - how to rediscover their attacking edge.

Join us here for our live blog of the Crusaders taking on the Highlanders from AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

The Crusaders perform best when they play with desperation and a burning sense of injustice, so the Highlanders would be advised to prepare to dodge the metaphorical kitchen sink in Christchurch tonight.

Multiple pitch invasions in the final minutes of the thrilling Western Force defeat of the Crusaders in Perth last night have been described as "unacceptable''.

The Crusaders were due to fly out of Perth two hours after their defeat to the Western Force - and they played like they had a plane to catch.

Crusaders skipper Richie McCaw will miss the Super 15 and tune up for his All Black return with club rugby.

The Crusaders' chances of winning the Super rugby competition were severely hit last season when No8 Kieran Read was unavailable for the semifinal against the Chiefs because of a rib injury.

The so-called "lesser" teams have enjoyed a habit of beating the Crusaders over the past four seasons, so it's probably a good thing that Todd Blackadder has named a strong line-up to play the Southern Kings in Christchurch tonight.