Both Kieran Read and Richie McCaw are expected to line-up for the Crusaders on Saturday © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Todd Blackadder | Daryl Gibson | Richie McCaw | Kieran Read

Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Crusaders | Stormers

The Crusaders are set to name both Kieran Read and Richie McCaw in their side to face the Stormers in the Super Rugby semi-finals in Cape Town on Saturday.

New Zealand captain McCaw has missed large portions of the season due to a foot injury while All Blacks No.8 Read rolled his ankle in the final four qualifier against the Sharks on Friday. But assistant coach Daryl Gibson has revealed the six-time champions are looking forward to welcoming both back into the side for the Newlands clash.

"We anticipate Richie will be back and he will lead the team," Gibson told the NZPA. "Kieran, too, is expected to be fit. We'd love Kieran to play. We are going to need guys like Kieran, who is a big ball carrier for us and who throws himself into contact. He's a big man and in these sorts of games, where it's going to be such a big, physical contest, you need your big stars playing.

"It's been one of those seasons where he have had to juggle guys all year. It is a pure luxury in this competition to be able to put out a close to full strength team at this time of year. It is a credit to our management and medical staff who have got it just right when we needed it."

The Crusaders defeated the Stormers 20-14 at Newlands back on May 7 and Gibson will look to that match for inspiration. The Crusaders were without Dan Carter and McCaw for the tie but two tries from prop Wyatt Crockett was enough to carry the Canterbury franchise over the line.

"The Stormers like to physically intimidate and dominate teams and it will be close to a Test match intensity," Gibson said. "It was obviously huge, just in that belief factor that we know we can win here. We won here with a much weaker team so that certainly plays into it."