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Bailyn Sullivan's impressive midfield showing creates puzzle for Hurricanes

Bailyn Sullivan. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Most of the talk in the lead-up to the Hurricanes’ match with the Blues focussed on the battle between Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Julian Savea in the No 12 jersey but it was the man playing at centre for the Hurricanes who perhaps emerged with his reputation most enhanced.

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Bailyn Sullivan made his Super Rugby debut back in 2018 for the Chiefs as a 20-year-old but has had precious few opportunities to showcase his talents over the last few years thanks to the presence of players like Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea and Alex Nankivell. Sullivan’s few games in Chiefs colours came on the wing but even then his minutes were limited.

Now 23 years of age, Sullivan made the move down to the Hurricanes during the off-season and has suddenly emerged as potential long-term option in the midfield for the Wellingtonians after impressing in his debut Super Rugby start in the midfield.

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While Sullivan certainly had his hands full on defence marking up against All Black Rieko Ioane, who never seemed to struggle to generate go-forward ball for the Blues, he did shine out on attack and set up two of the Hurricanes’ five tries in their come-from-behind 33-32 victory.

 

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The Hurricanes’ second score came from a perfectly weighted grubber kick from Sullivan, with Wes Goosen racing onto the ball and grabbing the five-pointer.

It was the second try that Sullivan set up, however – the one that ultimately won the Hurricanes the match – that was perhaps more impressive.

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Receiving the ball on the Hurricanes’ own 10-metre line, Sullivan fended off the tackle of former league star Tuivasa-Sheck – in his Super Rugby debut – and raced deep into the Blues half before sending the ball wide to a rampaging Ardie Savea, who saw off the rest of the Blues defence and touched down under the posts.

It capped off a fine 80 minutes of rugby from Sullivan – who also impressed in a cameo off the bench last weekend where he scored one try against the Crusaders.

Hurricanes coach Jason Holland admitted Sullivan’s strong performance in the midfield meant selecting the team moving forward was going to become more difficult, especially once the injured Billy Proctor returns to action.

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“He was really good tonight,” Holland said of his No 13. “It’s not always easy coming into a team for the first time and we’ve got a pretty special 13 in Billy Proctor as well who wasn’t there tonight. Bailyn stepped into those shoes really well and created a lot. Really happy for him.

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“He can play 13, he can play wing, he can do whatever. Some good choices coming up for us.”

Former All Black Peter Umaga-Jensen combined nicely with Sullivan off the bench while Savea perhaps performed better once he shifted to the right wing late in the second half. Goosen and Salesi Rayasi, meanwhile, combined for four of the Hurricanes’ five tries while Jordie Barrett is an automatic selection at fullback.

While Holland doesn’t quite have as difficult a task fitting all his top players into his backline as someone like Scott Robertson at the Crusaders, Sullivan’s impressive showing against the Blues will have certainly created some food for thought.

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flyinginsectshrimp 981 days ago

Bailyn Sullivan's ceiling is much higher than Billy Proctor's. On the performances we've seen so far, Proctor's reached his.

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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
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