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'It's an All Black discussion': The pair of young Hurricanes tipped for black jerseys
By Ben Smith
The Hurricanes’ depth was on show as they demolished the Melbourne Rebels in Palmerston North after making 14 changes to their starting side.
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They were able to rotate in veterans TJ Perenara, Brad Shields and Du’Plessis Kirifi, young first five Aidan Morgan and winger Salesi Rayasi who bagged two tries.
Despite missing one of the form players in the competition in fullback Ruben Love, the powerful display by the competition leaders put the rest of the teams on notice.
Former All Black winger John Kirwan believes two of the Hurricanes’ young forwards who weren’t on the field on Friday night deserve to be in the conversation after the team’s 5-0 start to the season.
“I think it’s an All Black discussion,” Kirwan told Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown, “because I believe those two young boys have massive future.”
“Shields doesn’t, because he’s played for England. Kirifi’s been around a few years. I think he’s an outstanding player but these two young guys are really pushing for [higher honours].
The two players that caught Kirwan’s eye have been Braydon Iose who has started at No 8 in Ardie Savea’s absence at the back of the scrum, and Peter Lakai who has been able to play more openside this season.
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The explosive speed of Iose was what impressed the former All Black the most. He said it is a good problem to have with so much talent in the loose forward contingent, even without reigning World Player of the Year Ardie Savea.
“A little bit of X-factor, Iose, he’s so dynamic. Gets off the base of the scrums,” he said.
“But they are great problems for coaches to have. Kirifi is dominant over the ball, he’s physical, so what do you do?”
Mils Muliaina clarified the second player on Kirwan’s wishlist was Lakai, who has has been a tackling machine for the Hurricanes defence, logging double digits each week while also taking a big load of carries.
“The young guy you are talking about, Peter Lakai, you would think Du’Plessis Kirifi would actually be starting,” Muliaina said, “There’s huge competition.”
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Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England,
Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
Somebody might need to teach Lakai to pass a ball first.
Watching him in npc and Super Rugby he just tucks the ball under his arm and runs straight like a league forward. There’s no angles, no offloads, and zero awareness of team mates in support.
So far, over-rated.
“Shields doesn’t, because he’s played for England.”
Has no one told Kirwan about the changes to the eligibility rules?
The black 7 jersey is Kirifi’s, no one else in New Zealand comes close yet, certainly no one outside of the Hurricanes, at this point I would happily have an all Hurricane loose forward trio with another Hurricane on the bench for the ABs, hell, chuck Shields in the mix too.