Hurricanes 2023
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@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
Good to see that Sullivan will be back playing; just a pity he's playing in Wellington instead of his family's club Napier Pirate. Noticed his dad playing for Pirates' 3rds, last Saturday. Pirates could have used Rakete-Stones, too, but I guess he's again not released for club rugby.
I watched that game too where they demolished Napier Old Boys by almost 100 at Tamatea Park. It was most enjoyable in the bright sunshine and almost 20 degree temperature. I watched from behind the goal line at the Clubrooms end of the ground, where were you standing?
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@SouthernMann lol it’s better than the Highlanders midfield.
Yes. How funny. Some franchises have players playing club footy that are better than players starting in Super
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@Stargazer
Oh, the use of the word playing in your comment "Noticed his dad playing for Pirates' 3rds last Saturday" kind of indicated you were at the ground taking in the action. -
@SouthernMann I didn’t realise Wainui were playing Petone. So Sullivan and Umaga-Jensen are matching up against Canes teammate Riley Higgins.
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We are likely missing 2 winger next week
I guess Sinkinson will start along with Naholo.
Another option would be to shift Barrett to FB and Moorby to wing. But I would leave Barrett at 2nd 5. He went well with Cameron. Not so good with Morgan since Cameron's injury but I rate the Roigard, Cameron, Barrett combination highly.
Holland is upbeat as always (article below). I guess they got the selection just about right for the Blues. But Cameron must start vs the Crusaders. Morgan isn't even close to SR std. Cameron definitely is especially if he retains his pre injury form.
Blackwell need to go as well (I know this is unlikely to happen but it means ongoing lineout issues). He's fine against teams with average lineouts but not against the better teams. He's too short for lock (1.90) and his ball skills let him down. Replace him with Bird (2.06) who for God only knows what reason is out of favor. To start with IWL with Sangster in the reserves. Keep Delany at 6
The other change I would make is to get rid of Booth. Replace him with Logan Henry. And hope Coles is fit next week. Faiva is worse than hopeless
Make these changes and with luck with injuries we might win another game this year. We might even win next week. But we must fix the lineout and goal kicking and stop turning over the ball so much. Improved defense is needed too. The std in these areas was so poor against the Blues yet we could have won at the end
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Flanders comes back into the starting side for me even though I thought Delany had a strong game. He can cover lock/6 from the bench.
I wouldn't mind seeing this backline against the Crusaders: 9. Roigard 10. Cameron 11. Naholo 12. Proctor 13. Sullivan 14. Moorby 15. Barrett
The reason I've put Barrett back to fullback is because we are getting done in the territorial kicking duel without a kicker at fullback. Barrett hasn't done anything at 12 for us this year so why don't we plug a weakness in our game atm and shift him to the back where we know he's more than comfortable.
I would also start Sangster over Blackwell.
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@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Winger Flanders and Sullivan are likely to be available. So Flanders at 6, and Sullivan on the wing for me.
I wish the Canes would give injury updates, so we'd know how bad Devery's injury is.
OK.
What did you think of Delany? He provides another good lineout option. Which we need if Blackwell starts. Although Flanders is 1.93 compared to Delany 1.95 so not that different. Delany's also bulked up a lot. Team is often out muscled against the top teams but not so much vs Blues.
But Flanders has excellent ball skills. He could easily play in the midfield. He has been involved in some great tries.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
Barrett hasn't done anything at 12
He had a few VG games with Cameron inside him. But I like your backline. But Barrett sees his future as a 2nd 5 so would leave him there.
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@Winger It's a shame Riley Higgins hasn't been given much chance this year, he's the future for the Canes at 12 IMO. I thought we would have seen him start at least one game this year, especially considering he hasn't been injured.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@SouthernMann I didn’t realise Wainui were playing Petone. So Sullivan and Umaga-Jensen are matching up against Canes teammate Riley Higgins.
And Petone absolutely flogged them in the rain. Not a good day for misfielders
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@SouthernMann I saw Riley picked up a try so you could argue he won that battle against his Hurricane opposites.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Winger It's a shame Riley Higgins hasn't been given much chance this year, he's the future for the Canes at 12 IMO. I thought we would have seen him start at least one game this year, especially considering he hasn't been injured.
Agree 100%. But these coaches are strange. A PR rumour is Higgins attitude isn't what they want. The coaches seem to just write players off though. Like Bird, Lakai and Higgins. Yet love other players like Blackwell (and Prinsep) no matter what and keep on selecting. Overall it could be worse though and except for Blackwell have finally got it right. Even Cameron not starting vs Blues after returning from injury made sense
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@Winger really, where did you hear that from? I've met Riley Higgins a couple times and he's the last person I would pick to have any sort of attitude issue. Him and Lakai have been pretty dominant at club level this year and despite only being 21/20 they've made rugby look pretty easy at times (at that level anyway).
If that issue about Riley is coming from Holland, then I'm not buying it. Holland is a shocking judge of character and skillset. I really can't believe he's wiggled his way into the All Blacks. Aside from Hammett I would class him as the worst Canes coach we've had.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@SouthernMann I saw Riley picked up a try so you could argue he won that battle against his Hurricane opposites.
From what the conditions were like in my front yard yesterday, it was only a good day for ducks. I'm sure Higgins' had a better platform from his Petone forwards compared to the other two
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
really, where did you hear that from?
Planet rugby. Its been mentioned on a Canes thread
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@SouthernMann said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@SouthernMann I didn’t realise Wainui were playing Petone. So Sullivan and Umaga-Jensen are matching up against Canes teammate Riley Higgins.
And Petone absolutely flogged them in the rain. Not a good day for misfielders
To be fair mate we’re trash this year everyone’s flogged us, the coach has no idea and our forwards are too green I had thought the score might have been closer.
