Taylor steps into eye of Hurricanes

Codie Taylor accepts popped eye vessels are a hazard of a dangerous occupation where some of his best mates attempt to compress his body like a marshmallow.

The All Blacks and Crusaders hooker has never wandered out of a game, or training, and glanced in the mirror to discover all that heaving in the scrums has left him with a rosy eyeball.

But, the chances are, it will happen sooner or later. At 27, Taylor has time on his side.

Suffering a popped eye vessel is what happens when a front rower, and the blokes shoving behind him, are using all their strength to give their team an advantage in the set pieces.

Gradually the pressure builds to the point where the whites of the eyes get some additional colour.

‘‘There’s something like a tonne of pressure coming through the front row in every live scrum you do, if you can imagine that,’’ Taylor said.

‘‘And your head is at the forefront of that, so there is plenty of pressure coming through. We have walked away from trainings and the props have had popped eye vessels, which shows how hard they have been working to make sure they get the job done.’’

So far, so good for Taylor. He has suffered his share of injuries, but not the one that has left him with a bloody peeper.

With Dane Coles recovering from another operation on a knee, Taylor is set to start all three tests against the French when they tour New Zealand next month.

First things first, though. The Crusaders’ match against the Hurricanes at AMI Stadium in Christchurch tonight is one of the most anticipated Super Rugby matches this season.

The stakes are massive. Whoever wins will swing the odds in their favour in terms of winning the NZ conference – and probably top the log overall — and claimhome advantage for the playoffs.

Taylor, who is set to make his 12th appearance of the season, is certainly a workhorse but also possesses acceleration and soft hands – something that was evident when he picked up a low pass to score for the All Blacks in the first test against the British and Irish Lions last year.

Bans and injuries to props have forced Taylor to regularly change front row partners at the Crusaders. Fellow All Blacks Owen Franks and Joe Moody are suspended, and Tim Perry has injured his hamstring.

Losing captain and lock Sam Whitelock because of concussion is another blow. The Hurricanes surely cannot believe their good fortune – to strike the Crusaders when they have so many key forwards unavailable, as well as midfield general Ryan Crotty in the stands because of a head knock.

First five-eighth Richie Mo’unga could be the key to any subtle shift in tactics. The Crusaders are unlikely to want to play much inside their own half, aware that turnovers against such a talented Hurricanes backline could be too risky to contemplate, so Mo’unga must kick into space.

‘‘We are expecting everything,’’ Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said. ‘‘They are tough, physical. This is what we play for. We enjoy it. I love these weeks.’’