Bedwell-Curtis revels in hitout for Hurricanes
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis acclimatised back into New Zealand rugby in the Hurricanes’ preseason clash against the Crusaders in Levin.
Former Manawatu¯ Turbos’ captain Bedwell-Curtis, who has been in Japan for the past five months on a short-term deal with the Mitsubishi Dynaboars, has played for the Crusaders for the past two Super Rugby seasons, but joined the Hurricanes this year.
Loose forward Bedwell-Curtis came off the bench in the Hurricanes’ 34-19 pre-season loss to the Crusaders at Levin Domain on Saturday, the first hitout of the season for both teams and the first for the Hurricanes under new coach John Plumtree.
The result didn’t matter much, but Bedwell-Curtis and the other 37 players in the match-day squad all blew the cobwebs out in front of a packed crowd.
Bedwell-Curtis, 27, arrived home on Christmas Day and said he had been acclimatising back into New Zealand rugby since.
‘‘The first [game] is always hard to get into,’’ he said. ‘‘You’ve only been playing against your mates and everyone knows the same calls, so there’s definitely a lot to improve on.
‘‘But it’s just good to get the boys back into a game of footy.’’
The Crusaders looked the better of the two sides for most of the match on Saturday. They were strong at the breakdown, scrum time and with their rolling mauls, which set up one of their tries.
Hurricanes No 8 Gareth Evans and wing Wes Goosen looked their most threatening, while lock James Blackwell went about his work and Manawatu¯ lock-loose forward Liam Mitchell looked hungry.
Both teams cleared benches in the second spell. the
In Kaihoke, the Blues romped to a 43-10 victory over their southern neighbours the Chiefs in front of a sellout crowd of 4000 on a warm Saturday.