Richie McCaw? Nah, he can wait.
And if Dan Carter’s sore hamstring is not right, he can forget about suiting up against the Bulls as well.
Yesterday, coach Todd Blackadder confirmed he will not be tempted to nudge McCaw, the world’s best openside flanker, into the Crusaders side to face the Bulls in Timaru on Saturday night and he will not risk star first five-eighth Carter if he is not ready either.
Despite All Blacks captain McCaw participating in his first training since having a screw inserted in his foot in the pre-season, Blackadder said he would not compromise the great No7 by putting him into battle too soon.
“He’s making great progress – he’s probably ahead of schedule. He’s not quite conditioned enough but next week if he is ready for the Chiefs it looks like he is going to get a green light,” Blackadder said.
Having the in-form Matt Todd at openside flanker and winning the last four matches no doubt eases Blackadder’s mind in this decision, too – especially against the Bulls who have beaten the Crusaders in the last two Super semifinals.
McCaw, who had an operation in early February to mend a stress fracture in his left foot, began running a few weeks ago and is being treated by All Blacks physiotherapist Peter Gallagher.
“He said he feels really good and it is the first time he has been able to run without any pain,” Blackadder said. “He is just making steady progress.”
Meanwhile, the chances of Carter starting in Timaru are not bright after the All Blacks’ first five-eighth strained a hamstring against the Sharks in London on March 28.
Although he attended training, Carter did not gallop at full pace and if there is any doubt about his fitness he will be replaced by Matt Berquist in the No10 shirt.
“He is only running at about 60 per cent and didn’t really push it, so he could be 50-50,” Blackadder said.
But there was better news for No8 and captain Kieran Read, who despite being replaced after suffering a neck injury against the Sharks, has recovered during the bye.
“It was just kind of like a pinched nerve that bothers me now and again and it just flared up quite bad after the game. I’m just fortunate it is not a recurring injury – that helps.”
Wing Sean Maitland did not train because of a tender shoulder and lock Chris Jack also took a limited part in the practice.
There’s still aftershocks in Christchurch with two light vibrations shaking the battered city on Monday, but even the locals will be surprised and shocked to hear that the Bulls don’t regard Sonny Bill Williams as their biggest threat in the city.
In fact, Bulls forwards coach Johann van Graan says the new centre sensation is low on the Bulls’ priority list, as they prepare in ice cold Queenstown.
“Sonny Bill is just one of many threats. The Crusaders have strengths in every department and we won’t just focus on Sonny Bill. He is just one in a team full of good players.”
The strongly-built Williams ripped the Sharks’ midfield to shreds two weeks ago with exceptional handling and running lines. He and centre partner Robbie Fruan will be up against Wynand Olivier and Jaco Pretorius, who gained the upper hand over the Hurricanes combination of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith at the weekend.
“It’s a dangerous combination, especially if you consider that there is an All Black halfback pairing on their inside,” said Van Graan.
There is uncertainty over the fitness of Dan Carter after he injured a hamstring against the Sharks, but the chances are good that he will play.
“The Crusaders have talent in every position and are in a class of their own as a counter-attacking side. I reckon they are the best attacking team in the competition, so our defence will have to be very good,” said Van Graan.
However, the Bulls don’t fear their opponents.
“If Fourie du Preez is playing only at 27 percent of his ability and his performances are already as good as they are – he is controlling the game brilliantly for the Bulls – just imagine how good he can be when he is back at his best.”
De Villiers hinted that Du Preez’s place in the Bok team, to play at the World Cup in New Zealand in September and October, may already be booked.
“If another scrumhalf does perform well now, it doesn’t automatically mean Fourie du Preez won’t go [to the World Cup],” he said about the player he feels is performing well below his best.
“It is my duty – at the end of the [Super Rugby] competition – to get him to [play at] the best of his ability,” De Villiers added.
A glance at the statistics seem to back up what De Villiers, and Du Preez’s teammate, Matfield, have said about the No.9.
In the opening few rounds of Super Rugby, after eight months on the sidelines following shoulder surgery, he was not nearly as influential as you have come to expect of the 55-Test veteran.
Upon futher investigation, the most telling statistics – based on stats found on ruggastats.co.za – are in Du Preez’s gain-line and kicking game performances.
In the opening two weeks, against the Lions and Cheetahs, Du Preez managed to reach the gain-line with ‘just’ 67 percent of his ball carries. At the same time, his handling count during those two matches stood at just over 50.
However, in the last three weeks he consistently made the gain-line, to record a 100 percent stat in this department. He also managed 10 tackles a game, missing just three in the last three games, as well as gaining almost 200 metres per game via his kicking game. (All this while he handled the ball up to 30 times more per game than in the Bulls’ first two matches.)
Those are not bad statistics for a player performing at just 30 percent of his capacity.
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