Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ardie Savea's injury may be a major hurdle, but there's one player that will be far more difficult for the Hurricanes to replace

The Hurricanes will struggle to replace some of their superstars in 2020. (Original photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

2020 is not shaping up as an easy season for Hurricanes supporters.

ADVERTISEMENT

Beauden Barrett and Ardie Savea, arguably the Hurricane’s two best players over the past few years, will both be absent for at least the start of the season.

Barrett has, of course, taken up a contract with the Blues (but also won’t be making an appearance for the Auckland-based side until late in the season) while Savea could be sidelined for up to six months thanks to knee surgery.

Factor in the departure of Matt Proctor, who coach John Plumtree has previously lauded as the best defensive midfielder in New Zealand, and it’s starting to look like the Hurricanes could find themselves struggling in the upcoming season.

There’s also the small issue that Plumtree himself might face an early exit from the Hurricanes, should he pick up a role with the All Blacks.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

All that being said, it’s not like 2016’s Super Rugby champions haven’t got a number players on their books who can help cover the absences of the missing trio.

Of last year’s loose forwards, Vaea Fifita, Reed Prinsep, Du’Plessis Kirifi and Gareth Evans remain with the Hurricanes. The latter two are both experienced operators on the flank, but it’s Kirifi that will likely get first shot in the 7 jersey.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kirifi, who debuted for the Hurricanes earlier this year, had a coming-of-age season in 2019 while captaining Wellington to the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership final.

The New Plymouth-born loose forward may not have the brute strength of Savea, but his enterprise over the park should at least keep the breakdowns ticking over.

Evans, who can cover all three loose forward positions, will likely find himself spending a bit time on the flanks in the upcoming season thanks to the recruitment of two number 8s, Murphy Taramai and Devan Flanders.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5gX8GLg3mn/

Flanders, who spent two years with the New Zealand under 20 side, is an especially exciting prospect, while Taramai has accrued 19 caps for the Blues.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jumping to the midfield, Proctor is a player that the Hurricanes will likely miss more than many expect.

The 27-year-old, one-test All Black is already making a name for himself in Northhampton, having scored a brace of tries over the weekend against former-heavyweights Leicester.

In Proctor’s absence, the youthful pairing of Danny Toala and Peter Umaga-Jensen will be expected to step up. Both impressed during their schoolboy years and represented New Zealand on a national level, and the combination performed admirably when an understrength Hurricanes side dismantled the Blues at the tail-end of this year’s Super Rugby competition.

There’s also Billy Proctor, Matt’s younger brother, who signed a mammoth five-year deal with the Hurricanes to keep him in New Zealand’s capital until the end of 2023.

Billy didn’t make quite as many waves during his schoolboy days as Toala and Umaga-Jensen, but evidently the Hurricanes see him someone who could fill a long-term role with the Hurricanes.

Other midfield options include Vince Aso, who was employed mainly at centre for Wellington this year, with Billy Proctor at fullback, and South African signing Kobus van Wyk – a surprising signing, given the seeming wealth of midfield resources that New Zealand currently has on offer.

A wildcard option could be Jordie Barrett – a man who has arguably played his best football in the 12 jersey.

Barrett can cover every position from 10 outwards and seems destined to take control of the fullback berth for 2020, but a move to the midfield could allow the playmaker to flourish.

When Barrett burst onto the scene for Canterbury in 2016 at the age of just 19, he was touted as the next big thing. Both the Crusaders and the Hurricanes came calling but Barrett eventually decided to link up with his older brother in Wellington.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5hL2LkA58s/

At this point in time, you have to wonder whether that was the best move. He’s still learning his craft in the professional game, make no doubt about that, but the inside backs factory of Crusader-land could’ve helped him hone is natural ability in a way that no one at the Hurricanes probably can.

The Hurricanes are excellent at helping to bring out the X-factor in players – but that’s never really been an issue for Jordie. What he really needs is a calming influence, and that’s simply not the style of game that the Hurricanes are known to play.

Still, Barrett might have a challenge getting his hands on the 12 jersey with Ngani Laumape coming off a scorcher of a year for both the Hurricanes and Manawatu.

Laumape was a notable omission from the All Blacks World Cup squad and so went about his business destroying midfield defenders in New Zealand’s provincial game.

With Ryan Crotty and Sonny Bill Williams both heading overseas, Laumape will have his sights firmly focussed on an All Blacks berth in 2020.

Whether it’s Toala, Umaga-Jensen, Proctor or Aso who slots in at outside centre, the Hurricanes midfield will be a threat on both attack and defence.

That brings us to the franchise’s biggest concern for 2019: the 10 jersey.

With Beauden Barrett out of the picture, the Hurricanes desperately need one of their less experienced flyhalf options to step up.

Waikato’s Fletcher Smith has looked the stronger player in the Mitre 10 Cup over the last couple of years but Wellington’s Jackson Gardon-Bachop has perhaps looked more astute in his chances at the next level up.

There’s promise in both of them but, again, how well will the Hurricanes be able to nurture that talent?

Neither TJ Perenara at halfback nor Ngani Laumape at second-five appeals as the kind of commander that can help guide a young first-five in the early stages of their career.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5hNTFVgpDl/

There’s a reason why middle-of-the-road 10s have flourished at the Highlanders, and it’s partially because Aaron Smith is capable of serving up ball on a platter, courtesy of the side’s industrious forwards.

It’s a lot easier to gain confidence and prosper at the Super Rugby level when you’re not constantly having to deal with slow ball that leaves you with a rushing defence already in your face by the time a pass is in your hands.

Unfortunately, the above is a scenario that any Hurricanes first five may well find themselves in when the upcoming season kicks-off.

Replacing world-class players is not something that can be done overnight and the Hurricanes will struggle in 2020 thanks to the losses of Beauden Barrett, Matt Proctor and Ardie Savea.

Despite the fact that Proctor has been a criminally underrated player over the last few years and Savea’s absence is coming with relatively short notice, it’s the loss of playmaker Barrett that will be felt the hardest by the Hurricanes.

WATCH: The Hurricanes are part-way through a three-year partnership with Japanese club Ricoh.

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss
Search