Blackladder playing with fire

Crusaders make six changes for HighlandersIsrael Dagg is one of six changes to the Crusaders side this week

The Crusaders have made six changes to the starting team that lost in Christchurch to the Sharks for this week's match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Crusaders Head Coach Todd Blackadder has changed the whole front as Tim Perry, Ben Funnell and Nepo Laulala come in for Wyatt Crockett, Corey Flynn and Owen Franks who all rotate to the bench.

In the backs, Andy Ellis will start at halfback this week and Israel Dagg returns to fullback, which sees Tom Taylor move to centre replacing Rey Lee-Lo who drops out of the squad.

Adam Whitelock has returned from Glasgow where he made his NZ Sevens debut and will be ready to provide some impact off the bench for the Crusaders on Saturday.

Crusaders

1. Tim Perry,2. Ben Funnell ,3. Nepo Laulala ,4. Dominic Bird ,5. Samuel Whitelock ,6. Jordan Taufua ,7. Richie McCaw (VC),8. Luke Whitelock ,9. Andy Ellis ,10.Colin Slade ,11.Nemani Nadolo ,12.Ryan Crotty (C) ,13.Tom Taylor ,14.Johnny McNicholl ,15.Israel Dagg

Replacements : 16. Corey Flynn ,17. Wyatt Crockett ,18. Owen Franks ,19. Jimmy Tupou ,20. George Whitelock , 21. Willi Heinz ,22. Adam Whitelock ,23. Nafi Tuitavake 

 After benching Ellis and resting Dagg for one of the most important games of the season, Blackladder makes another questionable selection sending  the whole front row to the bench. WTF?
Crockett, Flynn and Owens are the bests of the team and the incumbents, I support applying a rotation policy but changing one player each match. The wole front row at once? It makes no sense doing such a thing and above all before another very important game. They came from an embarrasing lose and losing again could suppose staying out of the finals.

ABasquefan
Blackadder has very limited resources insofar as player quality is concerned.   After the squad of the Cryusaders for Super 15 was published in January  I wrote on this site that I do not expect much from the squad.
My problem is the squad is not the type of top squad the Crusaders always had.   They always had top players in good form in the competition.   This year they are minus Dan Carter and Kieran Read seems to be injured continuously.  McCaw is not what he used to be - matter of fact he is a shadow of what he was even 2 years ago.
You wrote about Dagg - n 2012 he was amazingly good - last year e was good - this year he was bog-ordinary.   Maybe the reason is the absence of a really good backline and the lack of space they can create - and his defense is iffy.   Wpuld he have made a difference to the outcome last week?  I doubt it very much.  
The Crusaders could not establish forward dominance - even though they played 8 against 7 for most of the game.   So what went wrong?   Players like Sam Whitelock was lukewarm and effectively outplayed by a rookie.  There scrums should be as easy as pie for them - it was not.
Maybe Blackadder thinks that the tight 5 let the team down when on all accounts  they should have dominated.  Maybe it is time that the props be taught that they are not indispensable.   I do not think that Blacadder made the change without thinking about it carefully.  He probably realises that the props will be good enough to keep the Highlanders in check in the fiorst half  and then bring on the strongest conbination when the Highlanders change to their weaker combination.   Normally players are changed at half time or relatively shortly thereafter - so I would not think that props would make such a big difference - unless Blackadder thinks that he would have a completely dominant pack after halftime.   
I would be much more worried about their backline and especially the scrummies and Crotty = again bog-ordinary players of limited capacity.
Be it as it may the Cruaders should win the game with ease .