Beauden set to return for Canes as Jordie gets a rest

One Barrett in, one Barrett out for the Hurricanes this week.

All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett is expected to make his Super Rugby return against the Brumbies on Friday, but younger brother and fullback Jordie has been sent away for an All Blacks rest week, so won’t even be sighted at training until next Monday.

Beauden Barrett has been back at training since last week, but wasn’t considered for selection for the 38-22 loss to the Crusaders on Saturday as he works his way through return to play protocols.

Hurricanes assistant coach Jason Holland said he was in the frame for selection this week and had given the squad a lift.

‘‘Beaudy is in the conversation. He’s been gunning to play, so he’s ready to go.

‘‘Beaudy brings leadership, he’s got experience and is a calm head. He’s bossed things already really well this week.

‘‘Apart from the exciting things Beaudy can bring, we’ve got to do the simple things around him to give him the space to let him and the other boys have a bit of fun.

‘‘Every time you get an experienced All Black back it’s a big lift to the boys and that’s what’s happened this week.’’

Jordie Barrett played all 160 minutes of the Hurricanes’ first two matches, so would have only had 20 minutes left of the All Blacks-prescribed limit of 180 minutes across the first three matches of the season.

Chase Tiatia shapes as his replacement with James Marshall still out with a shoulder injury, although Holland delivered good news for the latter yesterday, saying he would not need surgery.

Joining him on the sidelines will be loose forward Gareth Evans (calf strain), but offsetting that was the return of Ardie Savea (All Black rest) and Vaea Fifita (hamstring, fitness).

One player who won’t be back is lock Sam Lousi, Holland saying his pectoral injury was likely to be season-ending.

Holland confirmed they were talking with 1.97-metre South African lock Andries Ferreira, who played four seasons with the Lions before he came off-contract in the off-season.

‘‘We’ve got a season-ender

[Lousi] and locks to replace,’’ Holland said. ‘‘We’re talking to him, he’s talking to us, but nothing has been done yet. Both parties have shown a bit of interest.’’

Holland said the squad was still smarting from Saturday’s loss to the Crusaders in which the Hurricanes were 24-0 down at halftime.

Holland described most of what they did in the first half as ‘‘not acceptable’’.

‘‘We were disappointed with our performance. There were a lot of things, especially in that first half, which are things we can’t continue to do otherwise we won’t win games . . . things around our discipline, things

around turning over the ball.

‘‘It didn’t really matter who that side was in the first half, if you give them the ball in those parts of the field, turn the ball over or give away stupid penalties, then we’re going to battle.

‘‘It’s been a big learning for us and hopefully we don’t see those pictures again.’’

The one silver lining was the way the Hurricanes fought back to win the second half.

‘‘In the second half we started to do things really well. We held onto the ball, we put teams under pressure.

‘‘We know that if we play the Hurricanes game we’ll put teams under pressure.’’