Super Rugby: Reuben Thorne gets another life as Crusaders hit by injuries
Reuben Thorne gets another life as Crusaders have been hit by severe injuries in ongoing Super Rugby competition.
The veteran star and former All Blacks skipper has been recalled in to the side after a long absence of two years. The Crusaders decided to include 36-year-old campaigner in their side after two crucial injuries during the last contest against the Highlanders
in Timaru.
Earlier on a number of players have been sidelined by the team management due various injuries. The injured list takes in Andy Ellis, who was struck by thumb injury in the last clash and he may miss the rest of Super Rugby season. He will undergo a surgery
that will determine his return in to the side. Sam Whitelock was hit by ankle disorder early in the start of championship and he is told to join the team soon. Brad Thorn who signed an agreement of two years with a Japanese club after the forthcoming Rugby
World Cup is also absent from the unit for three weeks followed by a calf injury.
Another important figure of Crusaders Richie McCaw, who made a late entry in the current Super Rugby season due to various injuries, was again restricted to the benches.
The Crusaders lost their previous match to the Highlanders by 26-18 played on last weekend due to extensive injury issues. They started off the game quite nicely but lost the tempo in to the middle of clash. They were surly lacking in seasoned players and
committed a number of penalties against the Highlanders.
The Crusaders have welcomed the former skipper Reuben Thorne in the squad. The coach Blackadder said, “He was as keen as mustard and he would never let us down and is not the type of guy that would tell us he was ready if he wasn't right.”
Thorne is the most capped player for the Crusader with 129 appearances. He will fly with team to South Africa to play two matches at Rebooks’ soil. Recently, he was playing for a Japanese club Yamaha and made his last appearance for the Crusaders during
2008.
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