Crusaders Team v French Barbarians

Chris

Re: Crusaders 2018

NZ Crusaders team named to face the French Barbarians in Christchurch

Published: 13 June 2018
The BNZ Crusaders are set to host visiting international side - the French Barbarians - this Friday night in Christchurch. The historic fixture falls during the break in the Investec Super Rugby competition, for the June international Test window.

Head Coach Scott Robertson has named his BNZ Crusaders' team for the match, which includes a number of players who will wear the Crusaders' jersey for the first time. Among them are four players named on Monday in the 2018 Canterbury Mitre 10 Cup Wider Training Group - Hamish Dalzell, Rameka Poihipi, Sam Beard and Caleb Makene - as well as Ta$man prop Ryan Coxon and former Chiefs hooker Seb Siataga.

Halfback Mitchell Drummond will captain the BNZ Crusaders for the first time and will be assisted by prop Michael Alaalatoa and wing Israel Dagg, who have been named as vice-captains.

180303CrusadervStormsJD 048

As well as the six BNZ Crusaders debutants in the match day side, the team also features returning loose forward Whetu Douglas, who has recently signed on with both the Super Rugby club and the Canterbury Mitre 10 Cup side for the next two seasons. Douglas will wear the No. 20 jersey on Friday night.

Robertson said there is plenty of energy among the group in anticipation for this match: "Some of these players not only have the chance to represent the Crusaders for the first time on Friday night, they have the unique opportunity to do so against a quality international side in the French Barbarians - so there is genuine excitement in the group this week and we are pleased to be giving these 23 men the chance to be involved in such a special match."

To mark the occasion, the BNZ Crusaders will perform their haka 'Takina Te Kawa' before the game, which they debuted against the British and Irish Lions last year during their tour to New Zealand. The winner of the match will receive a commemorative sword.

Kick off is 7:35pm, Friday 15 June, at AMI Stadium in Christchurch. To purchase tickets for the match, click here.

BNZ Crusaders team to play the French Barbarians:

```
   Donald Brighouse	         RESERVES
```

   Andrew Makalio	        16.    Seb Siataga*

   Michael Alaalatoa (VC)	17.    Ryan Coxon*

   Quinten Strange	        18.    Chris King

   Hamish Dalzell*	        19.    Luke Romano

   Mitchell Dunshea	        20.    Whetu Douglas

   Billy Harmon	               21.    Jack Stratton

   Ethan Blackadder	       22.    Sam Beard*

   Mitchell Drummond (C)  23.    Caleb Makene*

```
 Mike Delany	 
```
```
 Jone Macilai	 
```
```
 Rameka Poihipi*	 
```
```
 Tima Faingaanuku	 
```
```
 Israel Dagg (VC)	 
```
```
 Mitchell Hunt	 
```

denotes BNZ Crusaders debut

Stargazer

Wow, haha, I see the Crusaders are taking this game very seriously. I guess some of their first choice players, who are not in the AB squad, are getting an extended break. At least, that explains why Wyatt Crockett, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Bryn Hall and David Havili are not in Christchurch, according to their instagram post.

Chris

@stargazer yep they have another blow out against the Western Force in a couple of weeks they may be aiming at that game to get SR ready

Wurzel

That's about the standard strength of a Super Rugby squad for a June hit-out. Hardly surprising.

taniwharugby

hope Macilai doesn't injure himself getting to the game, getting changed, warming up or some other way other than playing rugby.

Stargazer

@wurzel Yep, not surprising to us, but expect French rugby fans taking offence haha. At least, they'll win a game in June and probably win it big.

Rapido

Are the French Barbarians also playing any other games?

Will their team include any tourists from the official French team?

Rapido

Coxon was good last years U20 JWC. Has he played any NPC yet?

Stargazer

@rapido said in Crusaders Team v French Barbarians:

Coxon was good last years U20 JWC. Has he played any NPC yet?

I think he's played about 2 games for Ta$man last year.

Bovidae

Coxon was back playing some club rugby for Hautapu earlier in the season.

I'm interested to see how Poihipi goes. He was the Hamilton BHS captain a couple of years back and trialled for the NZ U20s this year.

Chris

@rapido He may push for a Crusaders contract still need to replace Wyatt Crocket for 2019

Chris

@bovidae Poihipi has also made the Canterbury wider training squad to play the Allblacks in the 3 Halves game on August 10

Rapido

@chris said in Crusaders Team v French Barbarians:

@rapido He may push for a Crusaders contract still need to replace Wyatt Crocket for 2019

He's a THP though isn't he?

Chris

@rapido He is but James Ryan is trying to make the young props versatile he has around the Crusaders system

Billy Tell

@stargazer said in Crusaders Team v French Barbarians:

French Barbarians:

1 Antoine Tichit (Castres Olympique), 2 Julien Marchand (Stade Toulousain), 3 Emerick Setiano (RC Toulon), 4 Florian Verhaeghe(Stade Toulousain), 5 Thomas Jolmes (Stade Rochelais), 6 Judicaël Cancoriet (ASM Clermont Auvergne), 7 François Cros (capt; Stade Toulousain), 8 Baptiste Pesenti (Section Paloise)
9 Alexis Bales (Stade Rochelais), 10 Jean-Marc Doussain (Stade Toulousain), 11 Djibril Camara (Stade Français Paris), 12 Pierre Fouyssac (SU Agen), 13 Damian Penaud (Clermont), 14 Armand Battle (Castres Olympique), 15 Julien Dumora (Castres Olympique)

Reserves:
16 Quentin Lespiaucq (Section Paloise), 17 Quentin Bethune (SU Agen), 18 Swan Rebbadj (RC Toulon), 19 Patrick Sobela (US Oyonnax), 20 Yoan Tanga Mangene (SU Agen), 21 Thibault Daubagna (Section Paloise), 22 Arthur Retière (Stade Rochelais), 23 Dorian Aldegheri (Stade Toulousain)

Barbarians Français : La composition pour les Crusaders
Les Tricolores seront emmenés par François Cros, promu capitaine pour l'occasion. Le troisième ligne toulousain pourra également compter sur Judicaël Cancoriet et Djibril Camara, qui ont quitté le XV de France pour rejoindre les Baa-baas. 
That last sentence means that these two players have come out of the French first XV squad to join the French Baabaas.

@Rapido Yes, the French Barbarians will play the Highlanders next week in Invercargill.

Ah Jean-Marc Doussain. He of “first cap with 5 minutes to go in a tense RWC final” fame.

Duluth

Shitty crowd. They should of put this game in Ta$man

taniwharugby

the 8, Baptiste Pesenti out cold hitting his head on the hip of someone as he went to tackle them.

Crucial

@taniwharugby said in Crusaders Team v French Barbarians:

the 8, Baptiste Pesenti out cold hitting his head on the hip of someone as he went to tackle them.

Obviously the owner of the hip lined up his head deliberately in a callous move designed to take advantage of the leniency afforded to NZ teams.

cgrant

score ?

ploughboy

28-14 to crusaders

The Silver Fern

Crusaders Team v French Barbarians