Jordie’s back but Beauden’s likely to kick
Here’s something from the irrelevant but still slightly interesting file.
Beauden Barrett sounds as if he’ll kick, when the Hurricanes meet the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday morning (NZ time). But in case he doesn’t, his little brother has been utilising the high altitude to boot balls miles.
‘‘One of the scary things I saw yesterday at training was Jordie Barrett kick three goals from, probably, closer to 70 metres than 65,’’ Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd said.
‘‘That was ridiculous to watch but, to be honest, it’s kind of a waste of time when we’ll continue with our philosophy of not kicking a lot of goals. But, gee, he kicked the ball a long way.’’
Prior to the four penalties fullback Jordie Barrett kicked in the 20-12 loss to the Crusaders a fortnight ago, he and his brother had only attempted five between them this season.
Given only bonus-point wins are going to do much for the Hurricanes’ playoff hopes from here, it appears the team’s kickers will need to survive on a diet of conversions.
Beauden Barrett - in his first stint as main goalkicker for two months - slotted a perfect five-from-five in his 50 minutes of action against the Cheetahs and Boyd said the first five-eighth would ‘‘probably’’ get first crack again.
The Hurricanes haven’t just gone big with the boot, since arriving in South Africa. They’ve opted to beef their pack up too, by picking regular lock Vaea Fifita at blindside flanker.
Boyd and company were pleased with what Sam Lousi did in the second row against the Cheetahs, in what was his first start for the franchise. He’s retained his spot, with Mark Abbott now in to join him.
That allows them to experiment a little with Fifita and see what impact his athleticism might have in a different role.
‘‘He’s also very powerful and he’s a good lineout forward, clearly, and a good scrummager, so we just want to put him in a place on the park, which we’ve worked on this week, where he can get those legs freed up,’’ said Boyd.
Boyd indicated Fifita would patrol the lefthand channel - that’s often been Brad Shields’ spot - where he can mix the usual grunt work with the odd chance to run at a hesitant back. Shields, meanwhile, is getting another run at No.8.
Just on locks, Michael Fatialofa has had surgery on his dislocated kneecap and is expected to play again this season. Fatialofa and Fifita formed a crack combination last year and the former is being pencilled in to play in the July 15 clash with the Crusaders.
In the meantime, there’s the small matter of the Bulls. They might have only won three games this season but the Hurricanes know from last year’s trip to South Africa - when the Sharks upset them in Durban - that you underestimate these teams at your peril.
‘‘They’re having a tough season but at the end of the day the Bulls at Loftus [Versfeld] is a significant challenge. They’re a big side, they’re a physical side and they’ll be angry with their season,’’ Boyd said.
‘‘They’ve got nothing to lose, so we’d be massively stupid to think we’re going to get anything different than a very angry Bulls’ side.’’