The Crusaders will be wearing specially designed GPS systems in this weekend’s pre-Super 15 Rugby warm up against the Reds.

The devices won’t be used so the players don’t get lost as it’s well known that the Crusaders can always find their way to the try line so the players will wear the units to monitor their work load.

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder is expecting this year’s Super Rugby tournament to be more physically demanding on the players than ever before and is placing an emphasis on conditioning.

GPS technology will allow the coaches to gain more accurate data about how much running the players are actually doing and they have applied to SANZAR and the iRB for permission to use them for the entire season.

“Sometimes when you do a lot of rugby or running sessions you work a lot off gut feel and you don’t always understand the facts and I suppose what the GPS really gives you is facts,” he told ONESport.

“We didnt realise some guys were running up to eight kilometres in one of our rugby sessions. That’s a lot.

“Sometimes when we do our unit stuff you can only run six metres because we’re doing a lot of scrums which is still quite physically demanding, but it just gives you a really good insight into how much players are working.”

Blackadder does however admit that the technology can make it a lot harder on the players.

“You cant hide. The guys that thought they could just knock off and have a wee rest, all that happens is their training gets modified.”

“There’s no resting, thank goodness I’m not playing,” Blackadder added.

The step up in training has not been lost on the players who are itching to get some game time behind them after the toughest off-season of their careers.

“The boys have been training really hard (team trainer) Ash Jones has been thrashing us and we’ve been biking up hills and running all around Christchurch, it’s been good, it’s what I needed,” new recruit Israel Dagg told ONE News.

“Getting through all those hard yards is pretty tough mentally, so it all comes together when you know you’re going to have a game and get out there and run around with the boys that you’ve slogged your guts out with, so it’s all coming together nicely.”

Dagg will sit out the pre-season hit-out this weekend with the Reds along with most of the stars of the All Black laden side are given an extended break to ensure they’re fully fit for the gruelling season.

“We’ve still got a few niggles but nothing serious and nothing major and especially at this time of year we can actually manage so the likes of the back three of Zac Guildford, Israel Dagg and Shaun Maitland, have just got little niggle but should be right for next week they’re all being rested and that gives the younger guys a good opportunity.” Blackadder said.