Bid to starve Chiefs' speedsters

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Hack off the main artery and watch the attack shrivel and die.

Nullifying Chiefs' speed merchants Sitiveni Sivivatu, Lelia Masaga, Mils Muliaina and Richard Kahui will be a priority at Waikato Stadium, so shutting down the ball supply to these lethal finishers will be one of the Crusaders' major tasks in this Super 14 fixture tonight.

With a scrum that has shaded both the Blues and Sharks in recent weeks, the Crusaders possess a weapon capable of disrupting the Chiefs' delivery of possession from halfback Brendon Leonard to playmaker Stephen Donald and create a domino effect that restricts their attacking options.

Aided by the bizarre 72-65 blowout in their round-two match against the Lions in Johannesburg, the Chiefs, with 146 points, have the second-best attacking record behind the Bulls (149). But they will have noted the Blues' lack of success at overcoming the Crusaders' defence with a heavy-handed kicking game and coach Ian Foster will demand a mixture of patience and continuity if his players are to threaten out wide.

When his form is ripe Leonard has the ability to spark attacks with his raids down the short side and will aim to reinvigorate his game after injury blighted the tail end of last year's Super 14 for him and he struggled to make an impression with the All Blacks.

Concussion to feisty halfback Andy Ellis, one of the Crusaders' best performers last week, has denied fans a duel between two All Blacks halfbacks, with Kahn Fotuali'i deputising in the No9 jersey.

This is a rare starting opportunity for Fotuali'i, 28, who is wary about Leonard's pace and eagerness to embarrass tired defenders around the fringes. "He's a pretty good halfback, he's got a good running game," Fotuali'i said.

"My job is to organise the frontline of defence, especially around the ruck, where he is quite strong and likes to run it around there and run it at the big `tighties'.

"Our work-ons have been to work on the ruck defence, so hopefully it will go quite well around there."

Although he has severed his ties with Tasman and has signed with Hawke's Bay, Fotuali'i is eager to return to the Crusaders next year despite representing a province that falls within the Hurricanes' catchment.

"I have put in my contract that the Crusaders get first choice. If I was not able to be picked for the Crusaders I probably would not have signed up for Hawke's Bay."

While there was uncertainty whether Tasman would survive the proposed cull by the New Zealand Rugby Union late last year, Fotuali'i said it did not influence his decision and he was keen to link with a province that has made the playoffs in recent seasons.

When the Crusaders last travelled to Hamilton in 2008 they were beaten 18-5 on a night when Donald used his chip kicks to exploit space behind the backline, although with attacking sides being rewarded so much with the new rule interpretations he is unlikely to revert to that ploy.

Last year's beaten finalists, the Chiefs, like the Crusaders, hold a three-one record this season, their defeat being last weekend's 18-23 humbling by the Queensland Reds.

Foster overlooked No8 Sione Lauaki who has been charged with assault by police.

- © Fairfax NZ News