All you need is Love: Canes get a new No 10
In a pre-season interview, Hurricanes coach Jason Holland didn’t hesitate when asked to label his player to watch from the 38-man squad.
Now, seven weeks into Super Rugby Aotearoa, all eyes will be on 19-year-old Ruben Love in his first start in the No 10 jersey opposite
All Blacks pivot Richie Mo’unga in Wellington tomorrow.
After three unconvincing weeks from utility Orbyn Leger, following Jackson Garden-Bachop’s seasonending injury, Holland was jolted into action with the gifted Manawatu¯ product to face the Crusaders.
Love’s promotion to the starting lineup was one of six personnel changes from their insipid 27-17 loss to the Blues, which also features a shift to No 7 for captain Ardie Savea and the return of centre Peter Umaga-Jensen alongside Ngani Laumape.
Love, who turns 20 on April 28, was plucked from Palmerston North by Wellington Rugby, then signed by the Hurricanes last November until 2023.
The gifted sportsman, son of former Manawatu¯ fullback Matene Love, shone for Palmerston North Boys’ High School’s first XV at either first-five or fullback and caught the eye of Hurricanes’ scouts. As a wicketkeeper-batsman, Love was picked for New Zealand Cricket’s Under-19 side, too, before the oval ball won out.
Love made a brief debut off the bench, as outside back cover, in the Hurricanes’ only win of the season, 30-19 against the Highlanders on March 26.
Said Holland: ‘‘The first thing that everybody identifies is his prep, it’s like he’s a 15-year pro. He does all the right things during the week.
‘‘He’s got a bit of energy, a bit of excitement factor, pace, acceleration, a step, all those things are exciting. He’ll be an attacking 10 but he’s also got the smarts to know
when to get a bit of depth and when to kick and when to pass.
‘‘He’s just a small cog but I’m pretty confident he’ll slot in and do his job.’’
Holland believed Love’s best spot remained fullback, in the dual decisionmaker role filled by Jordie Barrett, but his skills would transfer to first-five.
Essentially, Holland couldn’t wait any longer to promote his brightest star to the driver’s seat, after injuries to Garden-Bachop and Simon Hickey and a lack of other compelling options.
It doesn’t get much tougher than the tabletopping Crusaders, stung by a 33-12 ambush from the Highlanders. ‘‘It’s amazing, a team with a bit of energy and something to prove, with the week the Highlanders had [with six players suspended]. They attacked them in all areas and they weren’t cautious.’’
Holland went for bulk and ball carrying power, in a 6-2 split of forwards on the bench.
No 8 Devan Flanders returns to the spot he filled in week one, with Savea back to seven and Du’Plessis Kirifi to finish. Lock Isaia WalkerLeawere and prop Xavier Numia also return to the small numbers.
Destructive hooker Asafo Aumua is back, too, behind Dane Coles on the bench, after damaging his shoulder against the Crusaders in round two, as is prop Alex Fidow and loose forward Vaea Fifita after suffering from gout in his toe.
‘‘We’ve got options around guys absolutely leaving everything out there for 45-50 minutes. It was an area last week where we didn’t work hard enough off the ball to get anything going,’’ Holland said.
In the backs, Salesi Rayasi was dropped from the 23 for what Holland described as his work off the ball in Auckland, with Julian Savea and Wes Goosen reuniting.
Umaga-Jensen is restored to the starting lineup ahead of Billy Proctor against the team he carved up in the upset win in Christchurch last year.