Blues v Crusaders
7:05pm Saturday, June 18
Eden Park, Auckland
An unstoppable force will meet an immovable object, when the Blues take on the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final at Eden Park on Saturday.
The championship decider pits the attacking prowess of a Blues team on a 15-match winning streak against a Crusaders side that made a record 222 tackles against the Chiefs in the semi-finals to protect their perfect record in home playoffs.
With Australia's last team, the Brumbies, falling to the Blues last weekend, the all-NZ final will play out in front of a packed Auckland stadium, with players from both sides also keen to stake claims for All Blacks spots.
The Blues finished top at the end of the regular season and are desperate to prove themselves against the 10-time champion Crusaders, who have consistently set the benchmark in the southern hemisphere competition.
The Blues won last year's one-off Trans-Tasman tournament, their first championship in nearly 20 years, but the Crusaders picked up the domestic Aotearoa title, giving the South Islanders and their coach Scott Robertson a fifth crown in as many years.
The Blues' long slump before their recent revival has kept the teams apart at the sharp end of seasons but an intense rivalry built in the days of the Super 12 competition has been reawakened.
The Blues won the last time the pair clashed for the title, a 21-17 win at home in 2003, that victory avenging their 1998 defeat away to the Crusaders.
MacDonald, who was Robertson's team mate at the Crusaders during that period, has named captain Dalton Papalii on the bench, after his recovery from appendicitis but the All Blacks flanker will need to prove himself with a late fitness test.
Robertson has brought back stalwart lock Sam Whitelock from a thumb injury in his only change to the Crusaders starting XV.
With the All Blacks' series against Ireland kicking off next month, players on both sides have plenty to prove.
Beauden Barrett's standout season for the Blues have many pundits picking him as Ian Foster's starting first-five against Ireland, but Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo'unga may have something to say about that.
Team line-ups:
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Josh Goodhue, 5-Tom Robinson, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18-Ofa Tuungafasi, 19-Luke Romano, 20-James Tucker/Dalton Papalii, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-Zarn Sullivan
Crusaders: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Scott Barrett (c), 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Bryn Hall, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Jack Goodhue, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Tamaiti Williams, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Mitch Drummond, 22-Braydon Ennor, 23-George Bridge
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Stu Curran
Third Match Official: Shane McDermott
TAB betting odds:
Blues - $1.67 Crusaders - $2.05
Weather forecast:
Cloudy with a few showers, turning to rain from afternoon.
Reuters/Newshub.
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Blues v Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific final
