Tight five hold key to Canes’ success
Marc Hinton continues his analysis of Super Rugby’s top 50 players. Today he looks at players ranked 40 to 31.
The John Plumtree era, on paper, looks a lot like the Chris Boyd era at the Hurricanes.
The star-studded backline is as strong as ever, the loose forwards look a solid group, but it’s the tight five where, as in previous seasons, the questions lie.
That combination yielded a championship, runners-up and two semifinal finishes in Boyd’s time in charge, so with a similar formula, you would expect similar results.
Starting with the backs, there is quality all over the show in what should be the competition’s best backline.
TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett will form the best 9-10 pairing in the New Zealand conference.
Depth is their biggest advantage in the midfield and outside backs. The likes of Jordie Barrett, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Vince Aso and Wes Goosen can play multiple positions to help fill the gaps when the All Blacks take their rest breaks.
Ngani Laumape and Matt Procter will lead the midfield, while Ben Lam is one of the premier wings in the competition.
All that is without mentioning the potential of young guns Billy Proctor and Salesi Rayasi, who are sure to get a run against some of the lesser teams.
The main losses from the backline are Julian Savea and Ihaia West, who were both backups last season.
There aren’t too many holes to pick in the loose forwards, even with the departures of last season’s captain Brad Shields and Blade Thomson.
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis looks a good pickup from the Crusaders. Gareth Evans’ continued development saw him rewarded with an All Blacks callup late last year. Ardie Savea has gone to another level. Vaea Fifita has a point to prove, as does, to a lesser extent, Reed Prinsep.
Then there’s the muchmaligned tight five, which lost its best lock, Michael Fatialofa, in the off-season, before its secondbest lock, Sam Lousi, picked up a serious pectoral injury in preseason.
Fifita might end up spending a lot of time at lock until Lousi is fit, but at some point, someone out of Geoff Cridge, Liam Mitchell and Isaia Walker-Leawere will have to take their game up a level – the latter two impressed at provincial level last season, while the former is talented, but injury prone.
The front row hasn’t lost anyone, so should be able to perform as well as they did last year. Dane Coles is back to fitness and will add a lot at hooker, as well as in his captaincy.
Really, the tight five has probably played above its reputation in previous seasons. Teams can’t make four consecutive semifinals with a terrible tight five. Some might say they would have won a title or two more if they had been better, but the flipside of that is they might not have made the semifinals if they had played worse.
Still, teams will likely target them, as they always tend to do.
If they can stand up and be counted, and a couple of young locks can find their feet, then it should be another successful year for the Hurricanes.
At a glance
Jordie Barrett, Ben Lam, Jonah Lowe, Nehe Milner-Skudder, James Marshall, Salesi Rayasi, Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Ngani Laumape, Billy Proctor, Matt Proctor, Beauden Barrett, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Fletcher Smith, Finlay Christie, Richard Judd, TJ Perenara.
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Gareth Evans, Vaea Fifita, Sam Henwood, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea, James Blackwell, Geoff Cridge, Sam Lousi, Liam Mitchell, Isaia WalkerLeawere, Fraser Armstrong, Chris Eves, Alex Fidow, Ben May, Toby Smith, Jeff To’omaga-Allen, Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Ricky Riccitelli.
Rayasi, Smith, Billy Proctor, Bedwell-Curtis, Mitchell, Kirifi, Marshall
Michael Fatialofa (Worcester), Brad Shields (Wasps), Blade Thomson (Scarlets), Murray Douglas (Brumbies), Julian Savea (Toulon), Ihaia West (La Rochelle), Jamie Booth (Sunwolves), Peter Umaga-Jensen (injured) 30 Handre Pollard (Bulls) Age: 24. Position: First fiveeighth.
Another superboot off the South African production line, the Boks 10 might be susceptible to the odd off day, but his goalkicking, tactical nous and explosive playmaking abilities make him a valuable performer.
The Bulls have been trying to play a more expansive game, but their style is their style, and they are at their best when that big pack gets go-forward and their 10 puts them in the right parts of the park. That just happens to be Pollard’s forte.
29 Will Genia (Rebels)
Age: 31. Position: Halfback. Like Aaron Smith, Genia isn’t quite the gilt-edged performer he once was. But this outstanding halfback remains an integral piece of the puzzle for the growing force that are the Melbourne Rebels.
Genia remains a smart optiontaker and dangerous threat with the ball, still clears efficiently and is a creative force off the right platform. For the Rebels to take the step up and challenge the Tahs at the top of the conference, they need this bloke strutting his best stuff.
2019 Hurricanes squad: Backs:
28 Scott Barrett (Crusaders) Age: 25. Position: Lock/No 6. Incredible that one family can produce three top-level All Blacks. Scott, though, broke the mould when he became a forward and signed for the Crusaders – now a vital part of the world-class red-and-black pack as a firstchoice lock.
He’s a big bruiser who eats up the tight yards. But there’s a subtlety to his game that surprises and an off-the-charts workrate. In a team of headdown, bum-up grafters, this guy leads the charge.
27 Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)
Age: 21. Position: Utility back. Then there’s Jordie, the youngest of the trio of Barrett siblings. Some might suggest 27 is a bit high for a fellow still scratching the surface, but we get a feeling this could be his breakout campaign. He looks ready.
Jordie can play fullback, midfield or wing, can kick goals with his eyes shut, is long limbed and has athleticism and timing that have had him on Steve Hansen’s radar for a while.
Where the Canes play him remains to be seen (fullback or wing primarily), but he looks ready to make big things happen in the capital this year.
26 Sonny Bill Williams (Blues)
Age: 33. Position: Second fiveeighth.
Too high for someone who has barely raised a ripple on the pond of the last couple of Super Rugby competitions? Maybe. But don’t be surprised if the offloading one is engaged, active and extremely good in this year’s edition.
For the first time in a long, long while SBW is under pressure for his All Blacks spot. In World Cup year. He needs to play (avoid injury), and play well. His Blues need him too. The experienced midfielder is also likely to be energised by Ma’a Nonu’s presence as a pseudo rival-cum-friend.
25 Sam Cane (Chiefs)
Age: 27. Position: Openside flanker.
Not as high as he might be given the horrific neck injury suffered in Pretoria late last season. Can he return to be the player he was? Will he even make it back on the field, given he still faces months of rehabilitation?
There are major doubts about Cane in 2019, but the Chiefs expect him to return for the back half of the season, and that would make him a key figure over the run home. He’ll be fresh, motivated and hungry. If his body is right this world-class performer could deliver the impetus when it really matters.
24 TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) Age: 27. Position: Halfback.
On top of his game, recently married and ready to make his play for the top halfback spot in New Zealand. Perenara looks poised for a big season, and given the Canes’ potential struggles in the forwards, they will need him at full efficiency.
The voluble halfback doesn’t have the speed or snappy pass of an Aaron Smith, but he’s resilient, rugged, outstanding with ball in hand and revels in the unstructured game the Hurricanes want to create.
He also understands too well the importance of getting his 10 into space.
23 Akira Ioane (Blues)
Age: 23. Position: No 8.
OK, Ioane hasn’t exactly been a consistent performer for the Blues. We get that. But that’s a big