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It's simply not good enough that the Hurricanes don't have a formidable tight five after 25 years of trying

(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

Saturday spoke volumes for Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara.

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To have achieved so much at the Hurricanes – while working with so very little – says plenty about what a fine first five-eighth and halfback combination they were.

It’s simply not good enough that the Hurricanes don’t have a formidable tight five or reliable set pieces. When you consider they’ve arguably never had those, then this situation is simply unforgivable.

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All Blacks head coach Ian Foster

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All Blacks head coach Ian Foster

Let’s linger on Barrett and Perenara a moment.

You assume the Hurricanes have tried over the years to grow or assemble a group of competent tight forwards. Individually there are few names you could toss up – Hurricanes who managed to become or remain All Blacks – but in the big games, when it really counted, good teams like the Crusaders invariably ground them into the mud.

After a while you get a reputation for being a bit weak, so much so that a potential second-generation Hurricane like Scott Barrett realises he’s way better off in Christchurch.
That kind of tag takes a while to shed.

But how about the halfback and first-five positions? For how long did the Hurricanes know that Perenara and Barrett would depart at some point?

In Barrett’s situation, his signing with the Blues was a case of third-time lucky. They’d never made any secret of their desire to get him and he’d never pretended he wasn’t tempted to go.

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And yet the poor old Hurricanes never teed anyone up to replace him.

They’ll now wring their hands about the long-term injury to Jamie Booth, but he’s hardly an adequate stand-in for Perenara either.

It’s hard to conjure a good tight five out of thin air, but surely the franchise had planned for life without Beauden and TJ?

Saturday’s 31-16 loss to the Blues was an embarrassment. It’s testament to the ability of a few Hurricanes that the final score was so close, especially when you consider the ineptitude of the home team’s set pieces.

The Hurricanes have one reliable lineout forward – Vaea Fifita – who they dragged in the 43rd minute. Reed Prinsep tries his best, but if the Hurricanes think he’s the answer to anything then they’re asking the wrong questions.

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The team is – and pretty much always has been – crying out for tight forwards and yet who do they sign in the off-season? Julian Savea.

Look, if the Hurricanes’ coaches can’t make a Super Rugby wing out of Salesi Rayasi, then they may as well give the game away.

They couldn’t even give Ngani Laumape a decent opportunity on Saturday which – again – just shows you how well Barrett and Perenara did for so long.

Tight forwards win you titles. Year after year, it was the Crusaders’ propping rotation that saw them come up trumps.

Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Joe Moody, Tim Perry, Wyatt Crockett, Nepo Laulala, Michael Alaalatoa, the list goes on. Greg Feek, Greg Somerville, Dave Hewett. We’d be here all day if we tried to roll out some of the locks and hookers as well.

Is it recruitment? Is it coaching? Is it culture? Is it even just geography?

Whatever it is, the Blues are a legitimate title-contender this year because they’ve got Ofa Tuungafasi, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Alex Hodgman, James Lay, Marcel Renata and Laulala to share the propping duties. Sure, there’s a surfeit of talent elsewhere in the squad too, but it all starts with your four props.

Well, at least that’s where it starts at the better franchises.

At the Hurricanes, it’s always been about hoping the backs and loosies can work enough magic to cover for the deficiencies up front.

In Ardie Savea and Asafo Aumua and Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape and even in the real triers like Wes Goosen, the Hurricanes boast individuals who deserve better.

Individuals who, on their day, will inspire the team to victory.

But it’s strong set pieces that bring you sustained rugby success. The Crusaders have pretty much always known that and the Blues look like they know that now too.

It’s hard to know quite what the Hurricanes’ excuse is.

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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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