Crusaders, Lots to Look Forward too, in 2008
Lots to Look Forward too, in 2008
December 29, 2007
The Crusaders return to training on Monday January 7 as they begin the countdown to the beginning of the 2008 Rebel Sport Super 14.
Prior to Christmas, the bulk of the squad was involved in largely strength and conditioning-based work, with the team breaking for its summer holiday on Friday December 21.
The last assignment prior to Christmas was a gruelling quadrathlon event which was held in warm temperatures on the water of Lyttleton Harbour and in and around the Port Hills.
This involved kayaking, running and cycling.
While January 7 will officially mark the first day where the full Crusaders outfit has been at work together, all of the squad’s All Blacks were involved in some form of training prior to the Christmas break.
Even though the World Cup squad members were not required to report for duty until the New Year, Richard McCaw, Daniel Carter, Ali Williams and Andrew Ellis all attended some general strength and conditioning sessions.
Leon MacDonald, Greg Somerville and Reuben Thorne were even keener; being involved in most of the pre-Christmas preparation, under the watchful eye of the Crusaders strength and conditioning guru Ashley Jones.
The role of Thorne promises to provide one of the individual highlights of the 13th Crusade, as the franchise’s most capped player takes his final bow prior to continuing his career in Japan.
MacDonald, too, has a major career milestone ahead.
The All Black fullback finished the 2007 competition with 104 Super rugby appearances to his name, but five of those came as a Chief in 1998.
He is, therefore, one game away from becoming just the fifth Crusader to 100 matches for the side, which should come up in the opening tie of the new competition against the ACT Brumbies at AMI Stadium.
Prior to then, the Crusaders have three warm up matches, beginning with a first ever-pre-season hit-out against the Hurricanes.
This will, fittingly, be hosted by the Tasman Rugby Union, with the inaugural pre-season battle of Cook Strait to be held at Motueka on Friday January 25.
The match, which is likely to be played in four 25-minute quarters, will see every player in the Crusaders Super 14 squad and wider training group involved.
From Motueka, the Crusade then switches to Melbourne, and the third consecutive pre-season clash against the Western Force.
The Crusaders beat the Force 28-12 at MC Labour Park in 2007, but the game returns to Olympic Park – the home ground of the NRL-winning Melbourne Storm rugby league side – for the third meeting.
The two teams meet on Saturday February 2. Five days later, the Crusaders will round off their preparations for the competition, clashing with the NSW Waratahs in the annual Rotomahana Challenge at Aussie Stadium on February 7.
Two players who are expected to return to the training ground bouncier than most in the New Year are halfback Ellis and prop Wyatt Crockett.
The pair both got married in the off-season.
