Hurricanes 2025
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@Darren said in Hurricanes 2025:
I guess Sheilds and Iose is going to get a lot of game time.
Lakai at 7 and replaced by Kirifi is my guess. Delany covering 6.
Another injury and we are really in trouble.I haven't seen much of Poliko who's been signed at blindside. At 1.90m and 115kg, he's certainly got the size so maybe he's someone that will also step up.
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Billy Proctor, Brad Shields, Du Plessis Kirifi and Asafo Aumua will co-captain the Hurricanes.
Innovative from Laidlaw but I like it, means we don't have to shoe horn a particular player into the 15 just because they are captain.
He's building a collective leadership approach making sure all players take account and responsibility for their actions and lead in the right way.
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And the Hurricanes are recruiting a comms person again. I reckon I've seen this job pop up yearly. The tasks and responsibilities don't reflect the likely salary for a high-profile gig that also requires substantial weekend work. Good luck to whoever takes it, hopefully the next person doesn't bugger off just before the season starts. Would be a fun role though.
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@SouthernMann said in Hurricanes 2025:
And the Hurricanes are recruiting a comms person again. I reckon I've seen this job pop up yearly. The tasks and responsibilities don't reflect the likely salary for a high-profile gig that also requires substantial weekend work. Good luck to whoever takes it, hopefully the next person doesn't bugger off just before the season starts. Would be a fun role though.
Just a reflection of Avan Lee, seems to be always off the pace when it comes to anything logical.
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Under 20s tourney this weekend featuring Wellington, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay. Squads below.
Wellington Academy:
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Elijah Talalupe
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George White
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Hamish Huggins
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Finn O’Sullivan (VC)
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Johnny Falloon
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Braith Ingram
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Drew Berg-McLean
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Braydon Soi
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Mike Brown
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Thompson Tukapua
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Jacob Denyer
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Ietitaia Campbell
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Jacob Kennedy (C)
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Hayden Patu
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Stanley Solomon
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Israel Time
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Mako Blackman
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Semurana Fepulea’i
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Samuel Thompson
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Ollie Church
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Brodee Tetevano
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Dante Ford-Tuveve
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Taufaeteau Kaufononga
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Josh Semu
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Thoma Takeuchi
26 Hunter Andrew
Hawke’s Bay Academy:
Konradd Newland (Loosehead)
Jericho Wharehinga (Hooker)
Kyan Ward (Loosehead, Tighthead)
Zach Taulapapa (Lock)
Riley Thompson (Lock)
Oscar Ritchie © (Blindside)
Perez Malo (Openside)
Metu Manase (No.8)
Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku (Halfback)
Luke Thomas (First Five)
CJ Mienie (Wing, Centre)
Sio Folau (12)
Sunia Ragede (12, Centre)
Mokau Lambert (Wing, Fullback)
Bogi Kikau (Fullback)
16. Troy Thomas (Hooker)
17. Membrenz Tahu (Tighthead)
18. Kelepi Tuakalau (Loosehead)
19. Tori Randell (Lock, 6)
20. Kane Ngawhare (Lock, 7)
21. Marcus Leach (Halfback)
22. Charlie Nash (Wing)
23. Walter Kava (Wing, Fullback)
24. Takeshi Isihara (Hooker)Manawatu Academy:
Josiah Johnston
Henele Oliveti
Kruiz Ioane
Kepa Bryce
Sam Dyer
Van Prenter
Reuben Nelley (C)
Mosese Bason (VC)
Kallum Gullery
Jai Tamati (VC)
Malachi Kurei
Ollie Cole
James Parkinson
Arje Beveridge
Kami Ratuiba
Conley Alexander
Sam Masoe
Nico Metuariki
Siaosi ‘Asi
20.Tom Dyer
Marika Delai
Zac Filer
Ajae Hansen
24.Zach Ratuki
25.Tevita Fakahau
Jack Delaney
Otis Blake
28.Pita Manamanivalu
Liam O’Connor -
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@george33 said in Hurricanes 2025:
Riley Higgins has a broken hand.
That’s shit if true. Where did you hear that?
Always seems to be our good players that get injured. Happens every year.
Weird because it doesn’t look like he has a broken hand in the below video. (Higgins in Blue)
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@george33 said in Hurricanes 2025:
Newstalk ZB , coach said it himself.
Ah that’s guttering. Did they say how long he’ll be out for? It’s the last thing we need with the injury toll we already have.
Going to be one of those seasons me feels.
This was meant to be Higgins big opportunity with Barrett not here this year. Fkn typical Canes luck.
Proctor better return next week.
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Hand needs surgery, unsure of timescale
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@canefan said in Hurricanes 2025:
Season hasn't started and already we are in a deep hole
I just can’t see how we are going to remain competitive after losing Ardie, TJ, Jordie and now being hit with all these injuries. Fk the Saders injury list, the Canes have been hit way harder IMO when you take everything into account.
The list of players that are gone from last year or are currently injured include the below, that’s a shit tone of talent out including 6 ABs and 9 starters out or gone from last year’s top XV.
Departed: TJ Perenara, Jordie Barrett, Justin Sangster, Salesi Rayasi, Josh Moorby, Aiden Morgan, TK Howden
Injured: Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Zach Gallagher, Devan Flanders, Brett Cameron, Lucas Cashmore, Riley Higgins, Billy Proctor, Ruben Love.
We need some luck or better yet some experience on the park otherwise we’ll fall behind pretty quickly.
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From Club Rugby NZ
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
From Club Rugby NZ
I'll start the ball rolling by suggesting the announcement might be him transferring back to the club he played his junior rugby at - my Axemen
not that he will ever play of course so it won't make any difference.
Pretty sure the last time he played in a game involving the Axemen he got yellow carded for a neck high tackle playing for the combined Marist St Pats outfit on Hataitai Park about four or five years back. Might even have been the game Richard Judd scored the winning try for my guys in the terrace side corner down by the softball diamond at the MSP end of the ground. Believe me that's something that does not happen too often. If fact the only other time was on a midweek night up at Te Whaea when I was cruely denied the pleasure of celebrating success in any clubrooms afterward. I did find reason to visit the MSP clubrooms the following Saturday night though! Ahhhhh the things you fondly recall when your club team does not win all that often!
Naitoa Ah Koui played in the development squad game, played as the curtainraiser, that infamous Saturday for Billy too as well as helping himself to one of the Taula beers I had tucked away hiding in the back of the chiller especially for his father if my memory serves me correct! -
@Higgins good times eh, Taulas though yuck! explains your vague memory of the day. i bet Ken would've appreciated one of those.
how the Axemen doing under new coach Faatonu Fili? on the up this year ya think?? a childhood friend of mine has played over 300 games i believe?? with the "mighty Axemen" he says. a character and a half he is ol Junior Purcell.
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@BerhamporeNinja You're right, the taste is pretty average but at 7% it does have quite a lot going for it. I think Tons might now be the CCO or whatever the club coaching development officer position is called nowadays, taking over from Lapana Jeff Makapelu. Some club's still have them but it is getting harder to come upon the funding to meet the salary obligations. Tons' management and coaching team also proving their worth in keeping things moving along nicely and their captain also provides a lot of excellent input from my observations.
Since having been back up in the Bay thanks to family health matters I do not often get back down to Hataitai much. However when I do I can sit happily alone and in solitude anywhere in the clubrooms for hours reflecting on all the time I spent in and around them for the best part of 25 or more years. Things look to be ticking along nicely with a real good camaraderie feel amongst the players from the times I get there and social functions are always things to be treasured. I suppose it helps that we still have beers available on tap. Not just any beer mind you but decent craft beers brewed not far from the Axemen's Isherwood Lounge down at Waitoa Breweries in Hataitai Village. We are lucky to have such a changing selection of tasty tap beers available rather than the somewhat bland stuff of the "big" brewers that the ever declining number of clubs still having tap beer pour. A big tick also to Upper Hutt as the last time I was there (five or six years ago) they had decent Panhead on tap which was rather appreciated by me!Once you slip down the pecking order success wise it is very difficult to get out of the hole. Not for the want of trying but many up and coming players aspiring for higher honours do not seem to want to commit to the battle, preferring to be bench or be second team players at other clubs with better playing records. Despite this we have had some players that have moved onto higher honours through our senior ranks so we must be doing something right. Off the top of my head Vaea Fifita (currently at Scarlets), Ollie Sapsford (Hawkes Bay and Brumbies), Veikoso (James) Polonaiti (Moana Pacifika and Tonga - Currently at Bayonne), Angleo Smith (Rebels and Waratahs), Gareth Simpson (Force and Saracens), Rory Woods, (NZ Under 19s and Northland) and Callum Harkin (Hurricanes) have all spent short periods of time donning the Axemen colours reasonably recently. A bit more than reasonably recently you could also throw in Lote Raikabula (NZ7s) who played Colts at the Axemen. Stanley Solomon would have been another but somehow ended up at Petone despite being the son of Axemen Life Member and NZRFU Vice President Erin Rush before making any senior appearances for his junior club and the club his parents played at (and still frequent most Saturdays) so it can still happen but it is just not getting any easier.
You are right about Junior, a really good b^#%@(d and loyal too boot. Can't ever recall any time seeing him without a smile on his face in the fifteen or twenty years he has been lacing up his boots for the Axemen. I am thankful that I found out his brother Sonny was a powerful tighthead when I unexpectedly had to make my virgin appearance as a replacement hooker one wet and freezing cold day at Martin Luckie. Not anything a less than 80kg late forties team Manager would ever want to repeat, especially against that giant sized MSP Third grade team. My loosehead was another powerful guy which helped get me out of what could have been rather embarrassing situation for me. Think I only last one tighthead believe it or not! I can now proudly wear the Axemen's famed Front Row Club dress tie without feeling guilty but by god did the body feel sore (even passing wind was painful) for about ten days afterward as I genuinely earned the right!
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