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Hurricanes make eight changes to their starting side to play the Highlanders

By Sam Smith
Jason Holland and Ardie Savea. (Photo by Derek Morrison/Photosport)

After their 53-12 win against Moana Pasifika on Tuesday, the Hurricanes are preparing to head to Dunedin this Easter weekend to take on the Highlanders in Round 9 of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition.

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Due the short turnaround between games, Head Coach Jason Holland has named a new look run-on side for the Hurricanes, with only 7 players backing up since Tuesday’s clash.

In the front row, Pouri Rakete-Stones and hooker Asafo Aumua return to the action for the first time since taking on the Crusaders, with only Tevita Mafileo retaining his starting spot. On the bench, Xavier Numia and recent debutants Kianu Kereru-Symes and Pasilio Tosi will look to provide cover.

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Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 9

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Lock Isaia Walker-Leawere retains his starting spot and partners James Blackwell, while Bay of Plenty lock Justin Sangster looks to add impact off the bench.

Reed Prinsep will take his regular blindside position, while Blake Gibson lines up at openside alongside Captain Ardie Savea at eight. Utility Caleb Delany will come off the bench.

Jackson Garden-Bachop replaces Aidan Morgan in the number 10 jersey and partners TJ Perenara who dotted down his 58th Super Rugby try on Tuesday, bringing the Hurricanes to 10,000 super rugby points, becoming only the second franchise to reach this milestone. Jamie Booth will look to provide cover.

Winger Salesi Rayasi retains his starting spot on the left with Julian Savea returns to the right after sitting out Tuesday’s game.

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In the midfield, Jordie Barrett returns to second-five, with Bailyn Sullivan at centre. Peter Umaga-Jensen will provide a quality option off the bench.

After an impressive performance off the bench on Tuesday, Josh Moorby steps up to start at full-back.

The Hurricanes take on the Highlanders this Saturday, 16 April, 7:05PM at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. The match will be televised live on Sky Sport.

Hurricanes team to take on the Highlanders:

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones
2. Asafo Aumua
3. Tevita Mafileo
4. James Blackwell
5. Isaia Walker-Leawere
6. Reed Prinsep
7. Blake Gibson
8. Ardie Savea (c)
9. TJ Perenara
10. Jackson Garden-Bachop
11. Salesi Rayasi
12. Jordie Barrett
13. Bailyn Sullivan
14. Julian Savea
15. Josh Moorby

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REPLACEMENTS:
16. Kianu Kereru-Symes
17. Xavier Numia
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Justin Sangster
20. Caleb Delany
21. Jamie Booth
22. Aidan Morgan
23. Peter Umaga-Jensen

Unavailable for selection due to injury or personal circumstances: Tyrel Lomax, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Devan Flanders.

 

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H
Hellhound 8 minutes ago
Scott Robertson reflects on the All Blacks’ Freedom Cup loss to Springboks

Razor was untouchable in a club competition that favours the AB's with no real competition. The Crusaders has been the main feeding trough for the ABs for a long time. Easier to stay pad against weaker teams like Super Rugby Pacific. A great club coach doesn't make for a winning test coach. Rassie took over a Bok team that got flogged by everyone. He changed them around and created a winning team and culture. Razor took over a team that barely lost in a WC final. Massive difference between the 2 coaches and teams during transition phases. The question have to be asked...Is the problems in NZ rugby deeper than the team? Are they growing weaker due to coaching or competition? This 2 tests the AB's had it but lost it against a team that is swapping and changing continuesly. Changing that many players, no matter how good they are, you lose a lot of little things. In attack they struggle to gel, they play in short bursts and currently is a team who rescue themselves through sheer power or broken play. Their mental strength is one of the biggest changes in the team. They find a way to win. They believe that they are the best but they are not letting it make them complacent. They know they are hard to beat and at any given day can lose. They are not the polished product and far from reaching their end goal. Rassie keeps shifting the goal posts. Making it harder for every player to keep their spot on the team. Fozzie was seen as the worst AB's coach, but he got them to the WC final. The NZRU would have been very happy that the AB's lost that final. What would it have looked like if they fired a coach they mocked, gave a hard time and fired long before the WC, if he won the WC? They are not good at their jobs. Just like with the Aussie board, this NZ board is failing upwards. How long before the AB's become the Wallabies? The players are trying hard, but they can do only so much. Razor is a coach of habit. He has his favourites. Is the current AB's team the best players in each position in the country? Or is there better players that don't get a look in? These players are not bad. The best though? Imagine what an Aki Bundee would have been able to do, and other players the AB's throw away for fun. Now they gain residency and play for other countries or go back to their Island nations and play for them. No matter how I look at it, NZ rugby is going backwards. I don't blame the players. NZ still produce world class players, but a lot of questions is left to answer. More than just a losing team. Razor should not have walked in as head coach. He should have been assistant to learn the ropes of international rugby. There is a vast difference between club and international rugby. Is the NZRU setting up Razor to fail?

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J
JW 36 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Springboks | The Rugby Championship

Yeah he might, I only saw the one angle where it looked cheek on cheek, and I didn't see what you're referring to today at all. Did either incident change the play SB, did they have any affect on the game?


Um, I don't think you're right in that 'fact' about foul play SB. I just sounds like the typical moaning SA fans did after Sam Cane's red in the world cup final, after there own captain had done the same or worse, taken out Frenchmen the previous game, and lost domestic titles due to their own nations offences. Don't you think it is hypocritical to talk about New Zealanders? Or is that in fact why you are trying to put Kiwi's in the same boat as others?


I would venture you've fallen into the media hole. It's easy to look at things like number of cards in isolation, for someone to cherry pick data and others to swallow it whole. I would need to do some research to see a problem developing with NZ rugby.


To me, on the surface without digging into it, they have mostly felt hard done by, so I'd suggest to anyone that they simply haven't adapted to the changing laws rather than having changed (their rugby style) themselves. I think if you did look you would find all sanctions were mitigated down to the most minimal suspensions possible. The only bad act I recall was Sonny-Bill Williams in Lions 2 with his league tackle. For him, it would just go down into the 'stupid' category.


So if you don't wont to look stupid throwing around the word 'fact', you should at least be able to back it up when you do try it ;)

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