Will Read be available?
Whether or not All Blacks captain Kieran Read will be available for the Crusaders’ 2018 season opener is anybody’s guess.
Given he’s taken extended offseasons in the past, which is understood to be a clause in his contract, it’s a valid question ahead of the Christchurch-based franchise’s title defence.
But Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, speaking via a patchy video link from London at the team’s squad naming on Wednesday morning, couldn’t yet confirm his status.
What’s certain is injured All Blacks props Owen Franks (Achilles) and Joe Moody (shoulder) won’t play against the Chiefs at home in the February 24 opener, and could be as far away from playing as May.
Fullback Israel Dagg, resting his troublesome knee for the rest of the year, should be good to go at the start of the season, while flanker Jordan Taufua, who had surgery on his broken arm after last weekend’s Mitre 10 Cup final, will be touch and go.
Robertson, in London to help coach the Barbarians ahead of their game against the All Blacks on Sunday morning (NZT), confirmed his 38-strong squad for next year’s Super Rugby competition on Wednesday.
However, he is expected to name a bunch of extra players assistant coach Jason Ryan hinted they could come from the New Zealand under-20s squad - to train with the team for pre-season training, starting November 29.
‘‘Everyone has got to be managed on an individual basis,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘[New Zealand Rugby] work heavily for us to make sure we get a full squad, at least 30 players to train against each other.
‘‘There will be a number of guys coming in that train with us over that period of time . . . then the All Blacks will come back in late January, as the collective agreement states.’’
While Read was forced to miss the first eight weeks of the past season while recovering from wrist surgery, he lined up in round one in 2016 after the side’s rough pre-season form.
In 2015, he sat out the first three games, and took the opening round of the 2014 season off. Whether or not he takes a break next year will no doubt be influenced by his work-load on the looming northern tour.
Robertson’s 2018 roster includes 15 All Blacks, a couple of fringe All Blacks and seven uncapped Crusaders, including highly touted
New Zealand under-20 World Cup winners Will Jordan and Braydon Ennor.
Jordan, 19, is coming off an impressive rookie season with the Tasman Makos, and rebuffed interest from other New Zealand franchises to sign with the team he watched growing up.
The former Christchurch Boys’ first XV standout started talking to Robertson and assistant coach Brad Mooar after a fine campaign with the NZ under-20s in Georgia, but they weren’t ready to sign him until they’d seen him play against men.
Halfway through the Mitre 10 Cup they’d seen enough.
‘‘Being a Christchurch boy, growing up and watching the Crusaders play, my preference definitely was to stay here if I could. I’m just really glad it’s all worked out,’’ Jordan said.
‘‘The parents are pretty chuffed. Dad was pretty keen for me to put the red and black of the Crusaders on, so they’re pretty pleased.’’
Robertson, when asked to sum up the squad he and his coaching crew have put together, paused before delivering a glowing assessment.
‘‘An experienced group with a lot of balance, guys that can play multiple positions and a team that knows how to win and cares about each other.’’
Meanwhile, the second-year coach didn’t offer a time-line for the franchise to fill the assistant backs coach vacancy left by Leon MacDonald.
❚ Full list of NZ squads B6