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Hurricanes recruiting former captain to help fill impending Savea void

Brad Shields and Beauden Barrett line up with the Hurricanes pregame. Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images

Much has been made of the exodus of All Blacks players following this year’s World Cup, the departures of the team’s most tenured professionals is always a challenge for the following World Cup cycle to navigate. But the impact at Super Rugby level will also leave teams in a state of prescribed rebuilding, as the conclusion of 2023 will mark the end of various careers, mostly of those in leadership positions across the five domestic teams.

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Replacing talent is one issue, but losing the experience of 84-cap Test veteran Dane Coles and 70-Test powerhouse No 8 Ardie Savea will not just leave a hole in the Hurricanes’ starting XV, but also the side’s leadership group, culture and team identity.

That’s why coach Jason Holland and the Hurricanes are looking to recruit some wise-heads for 2024, in addition to the abundance of young talent coming through the Wellington system.

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Former Hurricanes captain and 8-time England international Brad Shields possesses over 100 caps in Super Rugby, and after an uncertain five years in Europe, the 31-year-old may be on his way back to New Zealand shores to help fill the void left by the departing All Blacks.

“We’ve been talking to Shieldsy,” Holland told media ahead of the Hurricanes’ round five match with Moana Pasifika. “He’s obviously had a niggly time over there with Wasps folding and he’s still in really, really good nick. We’re having chats, so there’s no point denying that.

“He’s always been one of the superstars of our environment and has got a good sense of humour and works really hard. He’s a pretty special player around his physicality, his ability in the carry and the tackle

“All the things we knew of Shieldsy when he was with the Canes all those years ago we’re still seeing in the last six to ninth months at Wasps and Perpignan.

“It’s exciting to get a Hurricane who has been there and done that, and we know is a proud Hurricane, back into the environment.”

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Holland’s proactive future proofing looks to put the Hurricanes in good stead for the next World Cup cycle, although the coach himself may not be a part of that era.

The 50-year-old’s contract concludes at the end of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season and rumours around his future have been circling ever since the All Blacks’ series loss to Ireland and the ensuing coaching review. Reports claim Holland was to be a part of Scott Robertson’s coaching crew if the Crusaders mastermind was to have taken over from Ian Foster prior to the 2022 Rugby Championship.

Foster was instead backed to lead the All Blacks through until the 2023 World Cup, only to have his successor (for the 2024-27 cycle) named prematurely, six months out from the tournament. Robertson’s appointment this week restarted the chatter around the future coaching group and Holland’s name was inevitably one of those in circulation.

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Holland was open and blunt about his position: “I’ll put it to bed now, I haven’t heard from Razor (Robertson) in the last couple of months. We haven’t spoken about it in the last couple of months so unfortunately I haven’t got anything more for you on that.”

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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
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