Crusaders' MacDonald 'a definite threat' - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Crusaders' MacDonald 'a definite threat'

By Adrian Warren 27/05/2008 07:49:12 PM Comments (0)

Waratahs fullback Sam Norton-Knight has targeted his Crusaders counterpart Leon MacDonald as a definite danger man to his side in Saturday's Super 14 final in Christchurch.

While All Blacks stars Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are often cited as the pivotal men in the star-studded Crusaders squad, Norton-Knight identified 30-year-old MacDonald as another major threat to the Waratahs.

MacDonald, who has played well over 100 Super matches and accumulated 51 All Blacks caps, is among the franchise's all-time highest point scorers and a key attacking and defensive component of the team.

"I think you saw on Saturday night in the semi-final, Leon MacDonald is extremely dangerous," Norton-Knight said.

"The back three in our squad look at a lot of his footage because he does very little wrong.

"Everything he does has a positive impact on the team and he does the hard work and takes those high balls and gets good field position for them."

Norton-Knight, who also selected halfback Andy Ellis as another potential thorn in his team's side, said the best way to curtail MacDonald's influence was to shut down the Crusaders go forward play.

"I think that really stymies any back line and any fullback," Norton-Knight said.

A 24-man touring squad was named on Tuesday for the final with forward Tatafu Polota-Nau and David Lyons back in consideration after missing the semi-final through injury, while back Sam Harris was called into the extended squad.

NSW captain and flanker Phil Waugh sat out most of Tuesday's session and isn't expected to train until Friday because of a cork.

NSW assistant coach Steve Tuynman said focusing on individual opponents could distract the Waratahs from their own game.

"I think if we go out and target some of these guys, we're probably doing an injustice, we've got to look at what our game is doing and they have got 15 guys there that are just as good as Richie McCaw," Tuynman said.

"We've got to stick to our plan, that's what we've done all year and when we stick to the plan we go well and we get results."

While the Waratahs continued preparations for Saturday's final, speculation rolls-on about the replacement for departing coach Ewen McKenzie.

One of the favourite candidates, former Wallabies attack coach Scott Johnson, was on Tuesday spotted talking to a NSW Rugby Union official at a pub close to the Waratahs Moore Park headquarters.

The NSWRU refused to confirm whether Johnson, who has agreed to coach the US national team was still a candidate for the Waratahs position.

Tuynman said the Waratahs were in a good frame of mind and felt their forwards got the better of their Crusaders counterparts in the first half of the round robin game between the two teams which the New Zealand side won 34-7 in Christchurch.

"From a forwards point of view we were definitely on top of them," Tuynman said.

The Waratahs are likely to play before a capacity crowd as only 6,000 seats in the 25,600 capacity AMI Stadium remained after the first day of public ticket sales.

The stadium has a capacity of 25,600 due to renovations scheduled before the 2011 World Cup.

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