Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Brayden Iose to force 'massive decisions' from Hurricanes coaches

Brayden Iose. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Jason Holland has some “massive decisions” to make ahead of next weekend’s tussle with the Highlanders in Wellington.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Hurricanes will return to New Zealand’s capital following two matches in Dunedin – a win and a loss – and some strong performances in the latter game, in particular, could have a big influence on how Holland’s charges line up against the Highlanders.

The Hurricanes’ bench added significant impetus in the late stages of their matches against the Crusaders and Blues, helping the side to score a come-from-behind 33-32 win over the Aucklanders on Saturday evening.

Video Spacer

Pablo Matera explains his move to the Crusaders.

Video Spacer

Pablo Matera explains his move to the Crusaders.

The likes of Ruben Love, Richard Judd, Ben May and Devan Flanders all contributed to the comeback but it was loose forward Brayden Iose who was perhaps the most impressive ‘finisher’, with the 23-year-old running amok like an bucking bronco late in the piece.

Iose helped to generate plenty of momentum on attack for the Hurricanes – something they’d struggled to do earlier in the game. It was another big innings from the loosie after also standing out against the Crusaders in Round 1 and Holland will now have to make a call whether the seemingly specialist impact player deserves a go in the run-on side. With the likes of Ardie Savea, Du’Plessis Kirifi and Devan Flanders also all impressing over the first two weeks, that won’t be an easy task for Holland and his assistants.

Related

“He’s been outstanding for the last two weeks off the bench,” Holland said of Iose. “He provides that pace and power. He’s an outstanding bench player at the moment for us. He’s putting massive pressure on our backrow. We’ve got some massive decisions [to make].

“I thought Devan Flanders, for the 11 minutes he was on, was outstanding as well. Yeah, both of them are going really well. Obviously Ards is there and playing well and Reedo [Reed Prinsep] got through a power of work and Blake [Gibson] has got through the first 45 minutes for a year or so since he played footy and we’ve got Dupes and TK Howden at home so we’ve got some really good choices there, we’ve just got to figure out what the best approach is.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Brayden came on and changed the game a little bit today with his carries so we’ll find out the best way to win a game of footy.”

It wasn’t solely the bench that impressed, however, with left winger Salesi Rayasi bagging a hat-trick in his first game of the season – not that Holland noticed.

“Did he [get three tries]? I thought he only got two,” Holland said. “We know what he can do with the ball, we know he’s quick. It was a good outing for him.

“He’ll just keep working away and he’ll keep getting better and better at the small parts of the game and get him finishing three tries every week and everyone’s happy.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Rayasi is competing with the likes of Wes Goosen, Julian Savea and Baily Sullivan for a spot on the wing, with all three of those players also showing off their worth against the Blues.

With a long season ahead, that entire group will undoubtedly all get ample opportunities throughout the Hurricanes’ campaign – but Rayasi may well have one hand on a starting spot after his excellent work on attack.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
E
Euan 981 days ago

Send the Bus to the bus-stop.

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
LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith' Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith'
Search