Guildford on the bench

ALL BLACKS wing Zac Guildford will return from suspension via the bench when the Crusaders play the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday night.

Coach Todd Blackadder has stuck with the same run-on team which beat the Blues 19-18 last week.

He has resisted the temptation of bringing Guildford, who missed the Super Rugby-opener and three pre-seasons game as New Zealand Rugby Union punishment for his drunken antics in Rarotonga last year, into the starting team, retaining the back three combination of Israel Dagg, Sean Maitland and Tom Marshall.

The same also applies with prop Owen Franks and hooker Corey Flynn, both of whom are once again named in the reserves.

The Highlanders beat the Crusaders 26-18 when the two sides last played one another.

Crusaders: Tom Marshall, Sean Maitland, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tyler Bleyendaal, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read (c), Matt Todd, George Whitelock, Samuel Whitelock, Tom Donnelly, Ben Franks, Quentin MacDonald, Wyatt Crockett
Reserves: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock, Willie Heinz, Zac Guildford, Adam Whitelock