Starting with Saturday night’s clash against the Reds in Brisbane, Bridge will miss the Crusaders’ last four regular season matches of the trans-Tasman competition, and the final – should they qualify for it. The Crusaders will also be without captain Scott Barrett for the clash of the Super Rugby Aotearoa (SRA) and Super Rugby Australia champions.
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Crusaders wing George Bridge won’t play Super Rugby again until next year after his latest health setback. Scratched due to an illness ahead of last week’s game against the Brumbies, the Crusaders are hopeful he will join the team in Australia ahead of their round three game against the Waratahs in Wollongong.
After what’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, he’s been named on the bench for what will be his third Super Rugby match.
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Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams is congratulated by wing Sevu Reece during his debut against the Blues last month. “It’s definitely been a highlight of my life to put the jersey on. Not only for a game, but big games like that. It’s meant a lot to me and my family.” Whangārei-born Williams’ rise has been accelerated by Joe Moody’s foot injury, but he’s been touted as a point of difference player since the Crusaders named him in their squad ahead of the 2021 season.
George Bridge will start at fullback with Leicester Fainga’anuku and Manasa Mataele on the wings, while centre Braydon Ennor will make his first Super Rugby start since rupturing his ACL last September. Halfback Mitchell Drummond has also been spelled this week, meaning halfback Ere Enari is in line to earn his first minutes of the season via the bench.
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Codie Taylor scored a competition-high seven tries for the Crusaders in Super Rugby Aotearoa. The same goes for loose forward Brendon O’Connor, who has been named on the bench for Sione Havili Talitui (concussion). O’Connor last played for the Crusaders in 2012.