Stocks for loose forwards diminishing fast
The long-term casualty ward among the Taranaki rugby loose forwards has grown even longer after the impressive Mitchell Brown was ruled out for the season with a serious knee injury.
Brown, who has had made his way up the Chiefs pecking order to become a first choice starter, has a cartilage tear in his knee that requires immediate surgery.
His scratching comes hot on the heels that last season’s captain Mitchell Crosswell also being ruled out along with Berny Hall and Blade Thomson, while the Taranaki union rightfully granted former Hurricane Iopu Iopu-Aso early leave from his contract so he could earn a far more lucrative salary in Japan.
Taranaki coach Colin Cooper has been quick to try and offset some of the losses by recruiting former Waikato loose forward Brad Tucker who, like Brown, has the ability to cover lock to a reasonable standard.
However, Brown’s loss can not be under-stated.
He was arguably Taranaki’s most consistent forward through last year’s Mitre 10 campaign and his form this season in Super Rugby has simply got better and better.
While Tucker has size about him, he will not be able to sustain the sort of tackle count numbers or carries Brown has produced.
Still, Cooper was putting a positive spin on the situation and Tucker’s potential.
‘‘Brad’s a promising player who has great attributes of being mobile and hard-working,’’ he said in a release. ‘‘We think he will be a great fit in the loose forward and locking mix.’’
Tucker, one suspects, will get the opportunity to push for a starting spot at blindside flanker, although the first chance goes to the well performed Dylan Juffermans who will wear the No 6 jersey for Taranaki when they play Bay of Plenty in the first of only two pre-season fixtures the side has before the Mitre 10 Cup kicks off.
Juffermans had a stand-out season for Coastal, remains a rugged option but there could be concerns about his ability to play at six at first class level given his lack of genuine height.
Cooper has made a number of interesting calls in his starting line-up to meet Bay of Plenty in Te Awamutu on Saturday.
He has rewarded the club play from the likes of Jayson Potroz, Daniel Waite, Logan Crowley, PitaGus Sowakula, Adrian Wyrill, Juffermans and Michaiah Torrance-Read with starts while mixing his line-up with some of the union’s academy players.
Former New Zealand under-20 lock Fin Hoeata, who missed the entire club season after damaging his leg for the Chiefs in the Super Rugby 10-a-side tournament in Brisbane is on the bench along with a sprinkling of franchise men, including Mike Kainga, Stephen Perofeta and Declan O’Donnell.
Beaudein Waaka, another absentee from club rugby, gets the start at first five-eighth.