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Hurricanes player ratings vs Reds | Super Rugby Trans-Tasman

Wes Goosen. (Photo by Grant Down/Photosport)

The Hurricanes ended their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season with a flourish with a 43-14 victory over the Reds but they had a lot to thank referee James Doleman for in Wellington. Tyrel Lomax was lucky to escape a red and the two Reds’ yellow cards were perplexing to say the least. It got as close as 17-14 but the Reds wilted in the last quarter.

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Ngani Laumape had an energetic day in his final outing before exiting to France, smashing out the first try and punching out hard-earned metres.

Here are the Hurricanes’ ratings.

1. Xavier Numia – 6/10
Hot and cold game for the loosehead. Given a shellacking at scrum time but ultra useful around the paddock. Underlined his work around the park by swooping in for a turnover and stopping Taniela Tupou in his tracks in the 7th minute. Surely he’d be a world-class league player? Off at 55.

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2. Asafo Aumua – 7
Good lineout work this week and Aumua’s throwing looked spot on. The first one of the day set up the Laumape try. Muscular work with a meaty run at 12 minutes where he bumped off Brandon Paenga-Amosa and then put in an offensive tackle on Tupou at 24. Off at 55.

3. Tyrel Lomax – 5
Went down after a nasty knock early and then at 25 went high on Fotuaika for a lucky yellow that has been red so many times before. It was surprising he was impotent against Moeaki Fotuaika at scrum time. Didn’t do his All Black selection chances much good with that performance. Off at 73.

4. James Blackwell – 6.5
Enjoyed the line out work this week, seems to have a better connection with Aumua than Dane Coles and lifters were better. Off at 50.

5. Scott Scrafton – 7
Had a busy night in open play with 16 tackles, the stand out being a boneshaker on Mac Grealy in the 42nd minute and even put in an attacking punt. Won’t get a start at 10 though!

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6. Reed Prinsep – 6
Got the kick-off receipt in the 5th minute completely wrong. Keeps his head down and is dependable.

7. Du’Plessis Kirifi – 7
Smashing turnover off Grealy in 9th minute and busy with the ball, 33 metres in 8 carries. Managed to keep his discipline in check and topped the tackle count.

8. Ardie Savea – 6
Ardie got involved with some playmaking and played a good foil a couple of times with some dummy runs distracting the defence. Off at 50, looking a little broken.

9. Cam Roigard – 6.5
Some good work dealing with the untidy ball off an inferior scrum. Seems to have a touch of the old school about him in the way he passes and kicks. Couldn’t clasp the final pass from Goosen at 39 minutes for a try. Would have learnt a lot from Tate McDermott’s performance. Off at 64.

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10. Ruben Love – 6.5
You can see that the young tyro is more suited to a position further out than 10 after his lovely ad-libbing in broken play in the 14th minute where he set up Laumape for a potential second try which came unstuck on the grounding. A slicing run after 44 minutes gave him a try and a chance to throw his mum the match ball. Skill-plus at 74 minutes, with a laser 25-metre pass off his backhand.

11. Wes Goosen – 7.5
A very good game at left wing, some good work in the backfield dealing with the Reds’ kicking game. Great tackle in the 18th minute when he stopped Filipo Daugunu in his tracks. Low centre of gravity and jinking running style saw him earn 95 metres off 7 carries. Looks great when on his game.

12. Ngani Laumape – 8
The star was well up for his final outing before heading to France. With his first touch he celebrated a five-pointer after cannoning through like a runaway train, and was unlucky not to get a second in the 14th. Then went a bit quiet but regained his energy in the second half, finishing with 95 metres off 14 carries. Off at 73.

13. Billy Proctor – 6
Another workman-like outing. A nice turnover at 36 minutes and made his best run at 74 minutes where he scythed through down the left.

14. Julian Savea – 6.5
He’s had better games this season but there’s no doubt it’s been a wonderful comeback for the Bus. Good on him for getting in shape and showing his developed game after a sojourn in France. Could Laumape follow his path?

15. Jordie Barrett – 8
Wasn’t the best start for the Tower of Power at 15. Scuffed his first punt and denied a try after a knock-on in the 25th minute. Then around the half-hour mark, he really hit the turbo button with some brutal runs and some sterling ball play for his outsides. Over 100 metres run with ball in hand and some startling play that bounced him back from the disappointment of last weekend.

Reserves:

16. Dane Coles – 7.5
On at 55 and couldn’t stop contain his glee as he went over at the 58 minute after lurking on the wing. Then scored another off a driving maul at 76. Scrum improved the instant he came on as well.

17. Pouri Rakete-Stones – 6
On at 55. Scrum improved massively after his introduction.

18. Ben May – 6
On at 26 after Lomax’s yellow card. Continued the inability to cope with Fotuaika at scrum time. Had a good run or two and lay down in a tackle for Proctor to grab a turnover. On again at 73 for more fun.

19. Liam Mitchell – 6
On at 50. Battled well and added some energy.

20. Devan Flanders – 6
On at 50. Scored a driving maul try at 71 and again the energy gave his team a boost.

21. Luke Campbell – 5.5
On at 64. Some nice distribution.

22. Danny Toala – N/A
On at 73.

23. Salesi Rayasi – N/A
On at 64. Some classy offloading at 74.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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