BNZ Crusaders team to face Highlanders in Farmlands Cup

Feb 2 • General News, International • 1259 Views • Comments Off on BNZ Crusaders team to face Highlanders in Farmlands Cup

The BNZ Crusaders kick off their 2017 pre-season matches with the second annual Farmlands Cup fixture this Saturday. They will take on the Pulse Energy Highlanders at the Darfield Rugby Club, which has had a grandstand erected to seat the crowd expected on the day.

BNZ Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson has named a 30 man squad for the game, which will be played with rolling subs. A raft of players will wear the BNZ Crusaders strip for the first time, including eight players on the bench who have been involved in the Crusaders development programme. Jordan Taufua will have his first opportunity to captain the team.

The inaugural Farmlands Cup was played between the Crusaders and Highlanders last year in Waimumu. It aims to bring top quality rugby to the country, and there is $5,000 at stake thanks to Farmlands, which the winning team will donate to the charity of their choice. The BNZ Crusaders have chosen the North Canterbury Rural Support Trust, in recognition of the challenges many in rural North Canterbury have been facing following the Kaikoura earthquakes. The Highlanders have chosen the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust for their charity. Last year’s match ended in a tie, meaning the money was split between the two charities.

The match will kick off at 5 pm this Saturday, 4 February. Just over 100 tickets are still available and can only be purchased online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz or via the new TicketDirect app. Car parking will be available in the Darfield Domain for $5, so attendees are advised to bring cash.

BNZ Crusaders team to play the Highlanders:

1. Tim Perry	REPLACEMENTS
2. Ben Funnell	Nathan Vella +
3. Michael Alaalatoa	Andrew Makalio **
4. Mitchell Dunshea **	Oliver Jager **
5. Luke Romano	Chris Gawler +
6. Pete Samu	Samu Tawake +
7. Jed Brown **	Quinten Strange **
8. Jordan Taufua (c)	Pari Pari Parkinson +
9. Bryn Hall *	Tom Christie +
10. Richie Mo’unga	Whetu Douglas +
11. George Bridge **	Leon Fukofuka
12. David Havili	Ereatara Enari +
13. Jack Goodhue **	Mitchell Hunt
14. Manasa Mataele **	Sione Fifita **
15. Marty McKenzie	Tim Bateman
	Seta Tamanivalu *
	Sean Wainui
	Inga Finau +