Turbos being given cameos at the Hurricanes
Between the Hurricanes and the Brumbies, suddenly Super Rugby might be worth watching again. I’m referring to the Hurricanes for their free rrunning attacking play and the Brumbies for their efficiency.
The Brumbies traditionally adhere strictly to their gameplans centred around few mistakes and kicks deftly placed, whereas Kiwi kickers so often hoof long and down throats.
In the past two rounds the Canberra mob decisively scuttled the Chiefs at Hamilton and the Hurricanes .
We keep lauding our young halfbacks but Brumbies
No 9Nic White showed the required poise at Hamilton while Folau Fakatava, when he was subbed on for Aaron Smith, single-handedly turned the game for the Highlanders against the Reds.
Meanwhile, former Manawatū player Jason Holland is quietly introducing new talent at the Canes and No 8 Tyler Laubscher in the 62-pointer over Fijian Drua was the fourth Manawatū player to make his Hurricanes debut this year. The others have been flanker TK Howden, halfback Logan Henry and Freyberg hooker Raymond Tuputupu.
The Drua, named after a double-hulled canoe, appeared to have left everything on the track in Suva against the Highlanders and their sinking in Wellington was their first foray on New Zealand soil. For Fijians, mostly men of God, Sunday is a day of worship.
The open match proved ideal for introducing Laubscher, who had played only 40minutes this year for Varsity because of a chronic groin injury. On Sunday he appeared to come through 63 minutes unscathed but was later scratched because of a minor injury.
Turbos fans got a glimpse of what he could do in seven games in 2020, until he broke his hand. Stats are the in-thing now and on Sunday he was one of the lineout targets, had eight runs, ran 46 metres (the most by a forward), was second in tackles with 13, missed just one, made two try assists and snared a turnover.
He came close to two tries, had no fear of charging into contact and now with his readiness to offload, he impressed the masses who didn’t know which province he came from.
He was replaced at No 8 by
Howden, who was a lock at
Feilding High School and has had only a handful of games at
No 8 for Feilding Yellows. He is following the pathway of Nick
Crosswell, who also started as a schoolboy lock.
Manawatū have had three No 8s at the Hurricanes this year. The other was Braydon Iose, the oldest of them all at 23, until he broke a wrist against Moana Pasifika.
When all three are fit, it will be interesting to see where the Turbos fit them in.
A replacement for openside flanker Shamus HurleyLangton, who has gone to Ireland, is vital. His Turbos understudy last season, Johnny Galloway, has been plagued by hamstring injuries and is yet to play for his new club, Varsity.
Last season’s Manawatū first five-eighth Brett Cameron would have sailed into the Hurricanes had he not signed for Japanese side Kamaishi Seawaves, but interest came too late, probably from the Canes.
He has been reported as saying he wants to play Super Rugby next season and poor Jackson GardenBachop, after conceding two chargedown tries in the past two outings, will be looking over his shoulder.
There could be a bunfight on for the other Manawatū No 10 jersey.
The contenders in club rugby have been incumbent Stewart Cruden at Varsity, Richie Mo’unga’s nephew
Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, who plays like Richie at College Old Boys, Sam Clarke out of Wellington at Old Boys-Marist and Te Atawhai Mason at Kia Toa.
It’s a pain that Two youngish Turbos midfielders have gone to France and won’t be back. Centre Josiah Maraku (22) has signed for premier Pro 14 side Lyon Olympique and James Tofa (24), after being stuck behind Jason Emery last season, is playing for third-division Nationale side, Bourgoin-Jallieu.
That has left Manawatū light in the midfield although Jason Emery will be back from Rugby New York when he is playing alongside Ed Fidow, while Moana Pasifika threequarter Tima Fainga’anuku can play at centre.
Nehe Milner-Skudder flew to play for Rugby New York on Tuesday as an injury replacement, but with Manawatū thin on funds, it’s not certain he will wear the Turbos’ No 15 jersey this year.
Meanwhile, Henry who is playing halfback for Petone, was called back into the Canes this week.
When he returns to Manawatū club rugby, he had said he would join Old Boys-Marist, but now he’s expected to join injury-hit Feilding, who have lost last year’s Turbos back-up Griffin Culver to injury, out for the season.
OBM though will soon inherit Manawatū prop Ropate Rinakama, who has been playing under former Manawatū coach Charlie McAlister at Kumeu in North Harbour.