Crusaders brace for unbeaten Brumbies

With a 50-50 win-loss record this year, the Crusaders go into their Shop N Save Super Rugby match against the Brumbies under severe injury pressure, losing inspirational lock Sam Whitelock to a broken hand and firecracker wing Sevu Reece, who has a knee injury.

Amid all the All Blacks' coaching talk and other Super Rugby issues, it has been forgotten that the Crusaders will have completed games against last year's top four when they run off Orangetheory Stadium tonight.

Despite all the issues facing the defending champions, the Brumbies face a challenging task as they haven't beaten the Crusaders in New Zealand since 2000, and the Crusaders have won their last 11 Super Rugby games against them.

Of their last 31 games against Australian teams, the Crusaders have won 29, and the bad news for the Brumbies is that both losses were to the Waratahs.

Of the 28 games they have played since 1996, the Crusaders have won 20.

The Crusaders will meet the Brumbies at 6.05 tonight.

In other matches, the Waratahs will face the Chiefs at 8.35 tonight, the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will meet the Highlanders at 3.35pm tomorrow, Moana Pasifika will take on the Hurricanes at 6.05pm tomorrow, the Rebels will play the Reds at 8.35pm tomorrow and the Blues will meet the Western Force at 2.35pm Sunday.

[Source: All Blacks]