Hurricanes 2023
-
@Winger I believe we have the talent on that roster to compete at the business end of the season, but as well all know Holland and his selections have continued to plague this team over the last three years. If he starts the right players i.e. Walker-Leawere instead of Blackwell, Flanders instead of Prinsep, Savea at 7 instead of Kirifi and Umaga-Jensen/Sullivan instead of Proctor at centre then that alone will be a massive improvement compared to this year.
But yeah, prop and lock are two positions that need some strengthening if we want to win the whole thing.
From that list of players above and if Holland isn't a complete moron when it comes to selection, I'd like to see this as our starting side next year which is a massive improvement to the side that was knocked out by the Brumbies. And yes, don't hate me for having Sullivan on the right wing, I just think he would go bloody well there due to his versatility.
My starting 15:
1. T Mafileo 2. D Coles 3. T Lomax 4. J Sangster 5. I Walker-Leawere 6. TK Howden 7. A Savea 8. D Flanders 9. TJ Perenara
10. A Morgan 11. S Rayasi 12. J Barrett 13. P Umaga-Jensen 14. B Sullivan 15. J Moorby.2nd 15:
1. P Rakete-Stones 2. A Aumua 3. O Franks 4. J Blackwell 5. D Bird 6. C Delany 6. B Gibson 8. B Iose/T Laubscher
9. C Roigard 10. ?? Brett Cameron (if he's signed) 11. ?? (Wes Goosen's replacement) 12. Riley Higgins 13. B Proctor 14. J Savea 15. Ruben LoveHopefully we get some gold nugget signings in the off-season to help strengthen this squad for 2023.
Update: hopefully 2023 is the final season for all of Holland, Blackwell, Prinsep, Bird, Kirifi and Savea so we can either branch out and get some experience, or bring through talent like Lakai, Godfrey, Tuputupu etc.
-
@Canes4life I hope you're right. But I just don't see enough class. Where are the other potential starting abs. Some quality players but we need more ab quality.
-
@Winger I understand there is a very high need to prop up this side with more A.B talent, I just can't see where that is going to come from in the short term. There is also no reason why the likes of Walker-Leawere, Howden, Flanders, Rayasi, Umaga-Jensen, Sullivan & Moorby can't push their case to be A.Bs (post World Cup). They have definitely all shown glimpses of being top level talent but probably just need to show more consistency in the big games.
There's also the likes of Aumua and Lomax, who's stocks probably dropped slightly this year but if they have big seasons in 2023, there's an opportunity to get themselves back into the hunt aswell.
I think the big issue is that alot of the so called leaders in this side are either over the hill i.e. Perenara, Coles, Franks, Bird or have a low ceiling i.e. Prinsep, Blackwell, Kirifi which prevents alot of the talent above from taking the field.
-
@Canes4life. The starting point I guess for 2024 is a much better head coach.
-
@Winger said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life. The starting point I guess for 2024 is a much better head coach.
It's like the AB's thread!
-
-
-
@Chris on attack, how good would a Laumape / Sullivan midfield combo be...
-
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Chris on attack, how good would a Laumape /
SullivanProcter midfield combo be...FIXED Your suggested combo is never going to happen!
-
So Laumape wasn't just a totally random comment!
-
@Machpants The journo who wrote that sounds like a blind fanboy. Laumape simply wasn't good enough for the ABs; that's not suddenly going to change. Besides, he's been pretty vocal about turning out for Tonga.
If the Canes sign him, I assume the Jordie at 12 project will be over and PU-J will move franchises, go overseas or play a lot of club rugby.
-
So the depth in our backline is growing if Laumape and Barrett sign on.
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Cam Roigard, Jamie Booth
First Fives: Aiden Morgan, Brett Cameron, Ruben Love (can also play fullback)
Midfield: Bailyn Sullivan, Ngani Laumape, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Billy Proctor, Riley Higgins (assume he signs)
Outside backs: Jordie Barrett (can also play midfield), Josh Moorby, Salesi Rayasi, Julian Savea.We need more wingers, maybe Connor Garden-Bachop might be interested in coming home. There's also rumours that Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is coming down from the Blues. Harry Godfrey is another coming through.
-
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Machpants The journo who wrote that sounds like a blind fanboy. Laumape simply wasn't good enough for the ABs; that's not suddenly going to change. Besides, he's been pretty vocal about turning out for Tonga.
If the Canes sign him, I assume the Jordie at 12 project will be over and PU-J will move franchises, go overseas or play a lot of club rugby.
Well he defended Laumape in June 2021 so at least the journalist was consistent:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/300341504/ngani-laumapes-exit-leaves-all-blacks-shorthanded#commentsIsn't PU-J a 13?
-
@nostrildamus No, PU-J is a 12, who has sometimes been moved to 13 to accommodate others.
-
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@nostrildamus No, PU-J is a 12, who has sometimes been moved to 13 to accommodate others.
Nah PUJ is a 13 who can slot into 12. He’s played most of his rugby at 13. He played 13/15 through school, plays mostly at 13 when he plays for Wainui. The only reason he plays at 12 in Super is to accomodate others.
His bro Thomas is more suited to 12.
-
@Canes4life He plays all of his NPC at 12 though.
-
@Machpants said in Hurricanes 2023:
So Laumape wasn't just a totally random comment!
I would think Lumpy could also be interested in MP if he came back, and have a crack fot Tonga?
-
@Stargazer yeah, but that’s because we have Proctor in the Lions at 13 and because Proctor isn’t suited to 12 means that PUJ usually has to accommodate and is shifted in one when they start together.
If Riley Higgins starts this year with Umaga-Jensen you’ll find that PUJ will jump back into the 13 jersey because that’s his preferred position.
PUJ is pretty solid in both positions as he has the size but I like him at 13, and he’s a lot more experienced there than 12.
