Kieran Read will win his 100th Super Rugby cap when the Crusaders play the Hurricanes in Christchurch on Friday.
Read made his Saders debut in the opening round of the 2007 tournament.
Coach Todd Blackadder has stuck with the starting line-up that beat the Rebels last week.
Colin Slade starts his second consecutive game at flyhalf, while once again there is no room for All Blacks wing Zac Guildford. Johnny McNicholl and Nafi Tuitavake have been named on the wings and Nemani Nadolo and Kieron Fonotia provide outside back options from the bench.
A hamstring strain to Tim Perry and the delayed return of Joe Moody, who broke a leg in last year's NPC final, mean Daniel Lienert Brown has been added to the reserves as loosehead prop cover.
Crusaders – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Nafi Tuitavake, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Tom Taylor, 11 Johnny McNicholl, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Luke Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Subs: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Daniel Lienert Brown, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Dominic Bird, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Mitch Drummond, 22 Kieron Fonotia, 23 Nemani Nadolo.
Photo: Martin Hunter/Getty Images
