As another season starts
while he rehabilitates the knee he busted playing in the North v South match last September, while Vella is in because hooker Andrew Makalio recently underwent season-ending neck surgery.
Ranger is expected to be around for at least a month while wings George Bridge and Manasa Mataele are sidelined with chest injuries.
The loss of Ennor is significant, one the Crusaders are likely to attempt to overcome by utilising utility David Havili in the midfield, where he played predominantly in 2016.
Of course, the Crusaders showed as recently as last year they can overcome the loss of All Blacks, given captain Scott Barrett missed all of Super Rugby Aotearoa with a foot injury.
New All Black Cullen Grace also missed much of the competition, as did fellow loose forward Ethan Blackadder, yet they still had enough gunpowder to finish atop.
All up, the Crusaders are loaded with 17 players who have either been capped by the All Blacks or spent time in the environment.
That gives them depth in virtually every position, although the importance of pivot Richie Mo’unga staying healthy can’t be overstated, given Brett Cameron and Fergus Burke remain unproven at this level.
While the playing group is settled, the Crusaders have had two relatively late changes to the coaching group.
Assistant Mark Jones, having informed the team before Christmas he wouldn’t return from Wales for a second year, has been replaced by Tamati Ellison, while strength and conditioning coach Simon Thomas finished up with the team last week.
Off to the United States to join Major League Rugby side Austin Gilgronis, he’s handed over the programme to Gareth Duder, who he worked alongside during his four years with the Crusaders.