Blackadder to throw ABs into the fray

DON SCOTT/The Press

BACK ATTACK: Halfback Andy Ellis is expected to link up with Dan Carter when the Crusaders open their 2010 campaign against the Highlanders on Saturday.

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Todd Blackadder hasn't filed off his rough edges just because he wears the coach's whistle.

As a player Blackadder was not afraid to ram his pain needle into the red zone, and he expects the All Blacks to do the same when they tug on the Crusaders' jerseys for Saturday night's Super 14 opener against the Highlanders.

Although they only officially returned to trainings 10 days ago, the Crusaders boss yesterday appeared to be in no mood to shower his stars with love during the opening rounds. Instead, he hinted that his All Blacks would be pitched straight into battle and told to cop it sweet.

While captain Richie McCaw will miss the opening three rounds because of a "sabbatical" clause in his contract and hooker Corey Flynn will miss at least one match with an ankle sprain, their international team-mates could be shoved into the fray despite each playing only about 40 minutes in last week's warmup match against the Blues.

Potentially Blackadder, who will release his team tomorrow, could name up to seven All Blacks from last year's end-of-season tour. Zac Guildford should make his debut on the wing and Dan Carter and Andy Ellis will line up as the inside backs. Kieran Read will be at No6 and lock Brad Thorn and props Wyatt Crockett and Owen Franks will add potency to the engine room.

"The ones that are available, apart from Richie, they could all well be in the 22. They are up for selection anyway – whether they are in the starting 15 or 22 [reserves], we are yet to determine," Blackadder said.

If on the pine, the internationals are still likely to get a gallop as Blackadder chases the win and aims to hone their match fitness.

For those who will represent the All Blacks, Crusaders and provincial teams this year, the next 10 months shape as another marathon. Although Thorn and Ellis were given early personal leave on last year's tour, their Crusaders team-mates remained with the All Blacks until the final match against the Barbarians in London on December 5 before preparing for business again on February 1.

That vacation would have flashed by and Read said he took just two weeks off training before pulling out his running shoes to train for the 2010 year.

Despite the limited preparation he maintained he would be ready to take the physical hits dished out on Saturday night. "I'm feeling pretty good. I got through the game last week pretty comfortably," he said.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back out on the track."

Blackadder will be feverish to get this campaign going and although the Crusaders are heavily favoured to tip over the Highlanders, they should be painfully aware the southern franchise has embarrassed them in their previous two encounters.

The Crusaders, who had already qualified for the playoffs, were stunned 26-14 in their final round-robin match in 2008 and later unhappy coach Robbie Deans wore the look of a bloke who had discovered a cockroach in his soup.

Last year the Highlanders won a dreadful spectacle 6-0 at Carisbrook. McCaw suffered a knee injury and did not play again for six weeks and the Crusaders looked headed to the Super 14 abattoir with the rest of the also-rans until launching their remarkable run into the playoffs.

New Zealand's Chris Pollock will referee Saturday's match.

- © Fairfax NZ News