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Hurricanes lock down young stars

Asafo Aumua during Hurricanes training. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

The Hurricanes today announced contract extensions for a pair of promising youngsters, who have committed their immediate playing futures to the Wellington-based club.

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Hooker Asafo Aumua and wing Salesi Rayasi have committed to the club through until at least the end of the 2021 Super Rugby season.

Aumua burst on to the first class rugby scene in New Zealand in 2017 when he had a sensational Mitre 10 Cup season with the Wellington Lions, a year after he had made his debut for the capital side as well as playing a leading role with the New Zealand Under 20 squad.

That form saw him called up to the All Blacks for their end of year tour when he played against the Barbarians and a France XV.

The 21-year-old made his Hurricanes debut last year and went on to feature in four matches before his season was cut short because of injury.

Meanwhile, Rayasi has signaled his immediate playing future is firmly with the Hurricanes as he works towards making his debut.

The 22-year-old former New Zealand Sevens rep was selected for the 2019 Hurricanes squad off the back of a break out year with Auckland as he helped the side win the national Premiership title.

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“Salesi has shown us already through the pre-season that he has the hunger and desire to succeed at this level,” Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree said.

“We know what Asafo is capable of and he is really keen to play a key role for the Hurricanes in the coming years.”

Hurricanes general manager of rugby Ben Castle said it was important for the club to keep looking ahead to the future and Aumua and Rayasi would play a big part in that.

“They are two young men who we see as being really important over the next three seasons at least and they are as excited as we are,” Castle said. “They are both local players who grew up in Wellington and we are always keen to develop our local talent.”

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Both Aumua and Rayasi attended St. Patrick’s Silverstream College together in Wellington, with the latter once a promising basketball player.

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Nickers 37 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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