Proctor in, Proctor out for Canes
Matt Proctor may have left for England in the off-season, but his No 13 Hurricanes jersey has been kept in the family.
Billy Proctor, the younger brother – by seven years – of Matt, will start at centre against the Stormers in Cape Town tomorrow.
Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara said it might be a bit difficult for some people to notice any difference during the game.
‘‘Billy is a lot like his brother. He’s very, very good defensively. He understands defensive reads, offensive shifts, makes good calls defensively.
‘‘Then offensively, he’s a big, strong kid who you put him in half a gap, he’ll take it. He’s got all the attributes to be a very good player.’’
Because Proctor signed a five-year contract as a 19-year-old in September 2018 it feels he has been around a lot longer than he has. In fact, he’s had as many birthdays as Super Rugby caps since then: one.
Injury played a part in his 2019 season, but the lack of experience will be tested against the Stormers tomorrow. They boast 94-cap Welsh midfielder Jamie Roberts at 12 and experienced campaigner Ruhan Nel at 13.
Perenara said having All Black Ngani Laumape inside him at second-five would be a big help.
‘‘Playing outside Ngani is only going to be good for him.
‘‘Ngani creates a lot of attention with the way that he plays the game, so that will help Billy. And Ngani’s experience at this level, having played in South Africa against these teams, the communication those guys will have throughout the week will help Billy.’’
The lack of backline experience continues with first-five Fletcher Smith, but halfback Perenara was glowing in his praise of the 24-year-old.
‘‘Fletcher is up there with some of the best skills that I have seen in a player in a long time.
‘‘His catch-pass is second-to-none, he kicks off both feet well, and his ability to drive our team around is very good.’’
Another of Smith’s positive attributes is his goalkicking, with about 90 per cent accuracy at Mitre 10 Cup level.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland said he would share the goalkicking duties with Jordie Barrett, much like Beauden Barrett did last season, with Jordie Barrett taking
What: Where and when:
Referee: TAB: Hurricanes:
Super Rugby, round one
Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa, tomorrow 2.05am (NZ time)
Jaco Peyper (South Africa) Stormers $1.69, Hurricanes $2.18
Jordie Barrett, Wes Goosen, Billy Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Fletcher Smith, TJ Perenara (c), Gareth Evans, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Scott Scrafton, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Ricky Riccitelli, Fraser Armstrong. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tevita Mafileo, Vaea Fifita, Devan Flanders, Jamie Booth, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Vince Aso.
Dillyn Leyds, Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel, Jamie Roberts, Seabelo Senatla, Damian Willemse, Herschel Jantjies, Siya Kolisi (c), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jaco Coetzee, Chris van Zyl, Salmaan Moerat, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff. Reserves: Scarra Ntubeni, Ali Vermaak, Wilco Louw, David Meihuizen, Ernst van Rhyn, Johan du Toit, Godlen Masimla, Rikus Pretorius.
Stormers:
the long-range attempts at goal.
In all likelihood, Smith and Proctor might get the odd defensive test from a rampaging Roberts, but could spend a lot of time watching rolling mauls and pickand-gos.
The Stormers have made no secret of their desire to continue their gameplan from last season, which saw them follow a pattern of winning scrum penalties, kicking to the corner and forming rolling mauls.
And why wouldn’t you do that when you’ve got five World Cup-winning Springboks – Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff – in your pack.
The gameplan was almost good enough for them to get a win in Wellington before they eventually lost 34-28 last season and Holland expected a similarly dour battle.
‘‘Their coach and some of their players have been talking about that all week around their intention for the whole season, not just us, to bully teams and be nice and direct and take us on up front.
‘‘We know that’s what they’re going to do. We need to meet that, but also put the Hurricanes’ game to them. We want to play with a little bit of tempo, but we won’t shy away from the physical side of the game.’’