Injury worries for Canes as Blues make statement
The Hurricanes have only used two hookers so far this year, but that looks set to change after Asafo Aumua’s injury on Friday night.
Aumua had to be helped from the field after a knee injury as the Hurricanes withstood everything the Fijian Drua had to throw at them in Suva.
The severity of Aumua’s injury is not yet known, but implications of a long spell on the sidelines are concerning.
While the Hurricanes could replace injured halfback Cam Roigard with TJ Perenara, another All Black, they don’t have that luxury in the No 2 jersey.
Wellington’s James O’Reilly will likely start against the Brumbies on Saturday, but there is a lack of experience beneath him.
Hawke’s Bay hooker Jacob Devery is the third hooker in the Hurricanes squad, but he has fewer than 10 Super Rugby caps.
Promising Manawatū youngster Raymond Tuputupu is another option but he only came out of the New Zealand under20s programme last year.
The Blues’ pack, meanwhile, sent a big message by destroying the Brumbies. It was likely heard loud and clear in Wellington after Aumua’s injury.
Crusaders’ soft underbelly exposed
Australian sides have identified and exploited a weakness in the Crusaders’* maul defence: there’s no sugar-coating that uncomfortable truth.
After the Waratahs ploughed straight through the middle of the Crusaders’ pack in Sydney a week ago, the Force did it twice in Perth on Saturday on their way to a 37-15 victory.
The Force also won the breakdown battle, despite the Crusaders possessing eight current or former All Blacks.
How did it get to this? Well, there were cracks appearing even last year - the Chiefs will forever regret their final performance - and then you take Richie Mo’unga, Sam Whitelock, Codie Taylor, Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, Braydon Ennor, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan, David Havili and Jack Goodhue out of the picture for a variety of reasons.
For all of the venom being aimed at Rob Penney, the veteran coach has not been dealt the best hand - and he probably knew it before even taking the gig.
Highlanders hanging by a thread
It’s too soon to call time on the southerners’ season, even after an awful display in their 31-0 loss to the Reds on Friday night.
The Super Rugby Pacific ladder is so tight that if they beat the Western Force in Dunedin on Saturday, they could well find themselves back in the top eight.
But, they will require a major improvement even before they can think about beating the Force.
Their urgency to the breakdown was poor against the Reds, and it took the injection of a 20-year-old flanker, Will Stodart, before they had a forward with the size and desperation to actually get over the advantage line.
Expect big changes to the team this week. Locks Fabian Holland, Will Tucker and Mitch Dunshea all played club rugby in Dunedin at the weekend, as did Rhys Patchell, Martin Bogado and Josh Timu.
All six could feature against the Western Force in a game the Highlanders can’t afford to lose.