Extended break for pair

Scott Barrett and Matt Todd have been given an extended break by Crusaders coach Scott Robertson.

The pair will tack their second – and final – All Blacks rest week onto the team’s just completed bye, meaning the Crusaders will be without two more frontline forwards against the Lions in Christchurch on Friday night.

Tighthead prop Owen Franks had already been ruled out of the rematch of the last two finals due to a nagging shoulder injury, which is expected to be rescanned in the next fortnight.

Otherwise, the reigning champions are expected to have everyone available for the round 11 match, including hooker Codie Taylor and wing George Bridge.

Both played a full part in the team’s extended training session at Rugby Park yesterday afternoon, and assistant coach Brad Mooar confirmed they were good to go.

Taylor missed the team’s previous two games with a calf niggle, while Bridge hasn’t been sighted since injuring a knee/ hamstring against the Waratahs in round six.

There was plenty of zip about the Crusaders’ first post-bye training session, with the coaching staff running more sets than they usually would to start a game week.

With Barrett and Todd, who earlier sat out games against the Waratahs and Chiefs respectively, off for the week, lock Luke Romano and openside flanker Billy Harmon were heavily involved ahead of tomorrow’s team naming.

Before the competition leading Crusaders took the training paddock, they were sure to address the monstrous 18-6 penalty count referee Ben O’Keeffe whistled against them in their 43-17 win against the Highlanders before their bye.

‘‘Absolutely addressed. This morning and during the break as well,’’ Mooar said. ‘‘Our guys are smart people and players and they understand that that’s far too many. At one stage there it was six all and then we had a run of 12 penalties.

‘‘They weren’t all for the same thing, that’s clearly one box ticked. It’s for various things, a few at set piece and a few in general play. It’s really up to us to get that right and not give teams opportunities to get a roll on there.’’

Given the Lions’ liking to roll up their sleeves and unleash rolling mauls inside the opposition 22m, it goes without saying the Crusaders would be foolish to invite Elton Jantjies to direct touch finders inside the red zone.

Despite the Crusaders easily rebuffing the Lions’ go-to weapon on their way to a 37-18 win in last year’s home final, Mooar does not expect them to ditch it.

‘‘Don’t give a penalty, they don’t get the opportunity to be in there. We’ve done a bit of both sides of the game against them in the past where our discipline has been outstanding and they haven’t had the opportunities, and then the likes of the final last year, when we didn’t get our exit game right and a few penalties against us and they had plenty of opportunities early.

‘‘It can also be over enthusiasm. Guys are really energised to come in and make an impact, whether they have started or come off the bench. They see a picture and want to make impact, and it’s just a different picture to what the referee has seen . . . there’s just got to be a bit of curbing of that potentially, but also without losing our intent and mindset.’’