Hello and welcome to tonight's live blog of the Crusaders taking on the Stormers in Christchurch.
The Super Rugby competition is just two rounds in but the Crusaders are already feeling the pressure. That of course is points table pressure, as the Crusaders sit with a big fat 0 after losses to the Chiefs and Blues.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder is dealing with the pressure by shaking things up. He has made seven changes from the side that gave away a 17-3 lead last weekend in Auckland with All Black fullback Israel Dagg reinstated on the wing.
Wyatt Crockett will start at number one while Tim Perry moves to the bench. Luke Romano takes one of the starting lock positions alongside Sam Whitelock and Luke Whitelock takes the number 6 jersey from his eldest brother George, who is recovering from an adductor strain.
With Richie McCaw having just had surgery on a broken thumb, Matt Todd steps into the number 7 starting spot and Jordan Taufua will take a place on the bench.
In the backs, Willi Heinz will start at halfback this week and Andy Ellis will be ready to provide cover from the bench. Dagg starts on one wing this week and Johnny McNicholl on the other.
Crusaders
1.Wyatt Crockett , 2.Corey Flynn , 3.Owen Franks , 4.Luke Romano , 5.Samuel Whitelock , 6.Luke Whitelock , 7.Matt Todd , 8.Kieran Read (c) , 9.Willi Heinz , 10.Tom Taylor , 11.Israel Dagg , 12.Ryan Crotty (vc) , 13.Reynold Lee-Lo , 14.Johnny McNicholl , 15.Colin Slade
Replacements: 16.Ben Funnell , 17.Tim Perry , 18.Nepo Laulala , 19.Dominic Bird , 20.Jordan Taufua , 21.Andy Ellis , 22.Tyler Bleyendaal , 23.Kieron Fonotia
The Stormers scraped home against the Hurricanes in Cape Town last week, and suffered a heavy defeat in Johannesburg against the Lions a week earlier.
The stats don't paint a pretty picture for the travelling South Africans as the Crusaders last lost a home fixture against a non-New Zealand team in 2004, when they were beaten by Australia's Waratahs.
The last South African team to achieve that feat was the Cats, who won 32-21 in 2001.
Stormers
15. Jaco Taute , 14. Kobus van Wyk , 13. Jean de Villiers (captain) , 12. Damian de Allende , 11. Gio Aplon , 10. Demetri Catrakilis , 9. Nic Groom , 8. Duane Vermeulen , 7. Schalk Burger (vice-captain) , 6. Deon Fourie , 5. De Kock Steenkamp , 4. Michael Rhodes , 3. Frans Malherbe , 2. Scarra Ntubeni , 1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16. Tiaan Liebenberg , 17. Oliver Kebble , 18. Pat Cilliers , 19. Ruan Botha , 20. Nizaam Carr , 21. Louis Schreuder , 22. Peter Grant , 23. Sailosi Tagicakibau
I'm Steven Holloway and tonight I'm your one stop shop to keep up to date with all the action. I'll bring in tweets, pictures polls and stats to help keep you up to speed. Feel free to join in on the chat by clicking 'comment' and sharing your views. You can start by telling me your predictions for tonight and where you're tuning in from? It's 25 minutes till kick off.
Kick off is just five minutes away now. Poll results suggest most are confident in a Crusaders win. The TAB is offering just $1.18 for the home win and $4.50 for the Stormers.
Herald on Sunday rugby writer Gregor Paul likes the look of Luke Romano as first try scorer at $35-1. I suggest keeping your money in your pocket.
Kieran Read leads the Crusaders out onto the pitch to a very warm welcome.
The home crowd are so passionate about this Crusaders side and are not used to seeing them lose at home.
We are ready to go, Stormers with the kick off.
Early mistake from the Crusaders from the kickoff and the ball is hurried into touch. Stormers with a lineout from the 22.
Stormers with ball in hand, making good progress over the 22.
But there's some good work on defense from Crusaders and they earn a penalty.
Taylor belts one out into touch and Crusaders have the lineout on halfway.
But it's a loose one and the Stormers have the ball.
Lot of early errors here as Catrakilis sends a huge high kick out on the full.
Stormers pinged for not rolling away in the tackle and Tom Taylor now has a chance to put the Crusaders in front.
Taylor slots the shot at goal from 30m out and straight in front. Crusaders lead 3-0.
Read loses the Stormers' restart but then the visitors turn the ball over themselves.
Heinz will set a scrum now deep in the Crusaders' half.
Crusaders earn a penalty and Taylor hammers it long into touch. Crusaders lineout 30m out now.
Another poor lineout for the Crusaders and they turn it over. Not a lot of flow to this match so far. Many unforced errors.
Crotty spots a little gap now for the Crusaders and draws a man and throws one to Kieran Read. He is brought down but the Crusaders are making good ground.
Taylor loses the ball forward with a tackle which looked high, but is ruled legal. Stormers scrum near halfway.
Stormers scrum under real pressure early on and the Crusaders earn another penalty.
Romano wins the lineout this time and the Crusaders set up a drive on Romano.
by Deed via twitter 3/8/2014 6:25:17 AM