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Todd, Crotty back for Crusaders

The entire front row has changed, with Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks starting, and Wyatt Crockett, Mike Alaalatoa and Ben Funnell sitting on the bench.

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The other changes in the forwards are at lock, with Luke Romano staring and Quinten Strange shifting to the reserves, and at loose forward with Matt Todd returning at No.7 in place of Pete Samu.

In the backs, Mitchell Drummond starts at scrumhalf this week. George Bridge and Seta Tamanivalu take the wings, and Ryan Crotty and Jack Goodhue start in the midfield. Bryn Hall will cover scrumhalf while Mitchell Hunt and Israel Dagg will cover the rest of the backline.

The last time the Crusaders and Highlanders played each other was in Round Two of the season, and the Crusaders snatched a last minute win down in Dunedin.  

The Crusaders have won every game since, while the Highlanders have dropped just one game since and won their last nine in a row.

Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Samuel Whitelock (captain), 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.  

Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Jed Brown, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Israel Dagg. 

Date: Saturday, June 3

Venue: AMI Stadium, Cristchurch

Kick-off: 14.35 (02.35 GMT)

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: James Doleman (New Zealand), Michael Winter (New Zealand)

TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

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