For the reigning Crusaders Super Rugby champions, who take on the Bristol Bears and Munster in February, the tour serves as a pre-season camp.
On February 3, Munster will welcome the visitors on a historic matchday in Cork. Pairc Ui Chaoimh, a traditional Gaelic Football site, will serve as the backdrop for this exceptional rugby match.
In that match, the reigning United Rugby Championship winners will take on the finest team in the southern hemisphere, the Crusaders, who have won seven Super Rugby crowns in as many years.
Crusaders Super Rugby 2024
The Crusaders will play English team Bristol on February 9 after taking on Munster in Limerick or Cork on February 3. Rob Penney, the new head coach of the Crusaders, has announced the members of his travelling team for the forthcoming Northern Hemisphere tour.
In the most recent Super Rugby season, Bristol Bears academy member Andrew Turner assisted the undermanned Crusaders at prop thanks to Robertson’s connection with former Blues coach and Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam.
After returning home, the Crusaders will still play the Highlanders in the yearly Farmlands Cup preseason game, even though the 2024 Super Rugby is probably going to start on February 23.
Given that the All Blacks will be on leave and unable to travel to play Munster and Bristol, it is anticipated that this game will serve as their only pre-season practice.
In any case, Lam was thrilled about the chance to play the 14-time Super Rugby champions, whose only other encounter in Europe came in 2011 when they travelled to Twickenham Arena in London for a “home” game against the Sharks following the disasters in Christchurch.
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Crusaders Super Rugby squad
A number of the All Blacks players for the Crusaders have not travelled to England and Ireland; the team leaves on Friday, January 26.
Not heading north are stars like Scott Barrett, Ethan Blackadder, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams, Joe Moody, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Will Jordan, and Joe Moody.
Penney has, nevertheless, added a few capped foreign players, such as Owen Franks and George Bower, who play as props. Cullen Grace, an All Blacks back-rower, and Willi Heinz, a former England international, have both been added.
Crusaders squad
Forwards: George Bell, Josh Southall, Ioane Moananu, George Bower, Owen Franks, Sebastian Calder, Ryan Coxon, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Angus Brown, Jamie Hannah, Quinten Strange (c), Liam Jack, Tahlor Cahill, Antonio Shalfoon, Fletcher Anderson, Dominic Gardiner, Corey Kellow, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Cullen Grace
Backs: Mitchell Drummond, Willi Heinz, Noah Hotham, Taha Kemara, Rivez Reihana, Taine Robinson, Ryan Crotty, Dallas McLeod, Jone Rova, Levi Aumua, Manasa Mataele, Heremaia Murray, Macca Springer, Chay Fihaki, Jack Gray, Leigh Halfpenny