Hurricanes 2025
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Crusaders confirmation of Zach heading to the Canes.
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Signed for one year only.
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@Canes4life one year trial?
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With Gallagher coming in I'd be tempted to move Delany back to 6 where he was very good for Wellington when they won the NPC a few years ago. He's a great carrier of the ball, our best lineout forward and I'm sure he can bring his physical attributes to that role. It then means we can shift Delany to lock late in the game and bring on both Flanders and Iose for impact.
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Talking to a mate that's close to Ories rugby and he said Roderick Solo is interested in coming back into 15s after having a rough year in sevens. Hopefully the Canes look at him. He's a huge talent but may need to put on a little beef for Super. Hopefully Wellington have signed him up for the NPC.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
Signed for one year only.
But but but, what about my mindless speculation and half truths… guess I’m not just saying things to just say it yet again huh.😂
Great signing for the canes, getting a great player but also a great man. A win win.
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@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
Signed for one year only.
But but but, what about my mindless speculation and half truths… guess I’m not just saying things to just say it yet again huh.😂
Great singing for the canes, getting great player but also a great man. A win win.
You've been 100% on the money so far. Keep it coming.
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@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:
Also. Since when did you last see a super promising Crusader leave for elsewhere in New Zealand? Do I sense the tide slowly shifting here or will this just be a one off… time will tell.
Sam Darry just won a title with the Blues. Both players partnered each other at Christs College so maybe he saw the success Darry was having and maybe wants to emulate that at the Canes to push for higher honours.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:
Also. Since when did you last see a super promising Crusader leave for elsewhere in New Zealand? Do I sense the tide slowly shifting here or will this just be a one off… time will tell.
Sam Darry just won a title with the Blues. Both players partnered each other at Christs College so maybe he saw the success Darry was having and maybe wants to emulate that at the Canes to push for higher honours.
Yeah that’s true. I more meant someone established in the Crusaders squad but Darry is also a good example because Crusaders wanted him too didn’t they. They had Gallagher pinned to be ‘the next Scott Barrett’ in their system and I know for a fact the Crusaders were pushing hard to keep him. Going to be interesting to see how it all plays out considering he hasn’t reached his prime years yet.
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@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:
Also. Since when did you last see a super promising Crusader leave for elsewhere in New Zealand? Do I sense the tide slowly shifting here or will this just be a one off… time will tell.
Sam Darry just won a title with the Blues. Both players partnered each other at Christs College so maybe he saw the success Darry was having and maybe wants to emulate that at the Canes to push for higher honours.
Yeah that’s true. I more meant someone established in the Crusaders squad but Darry is also a good example because Crusaders wanted him too didn’t they. They had Gallagher pinned to be ‘the next Scott Barrett’ in their system and I know for a fact the Crusaders were pushing hard to keep him. Going to be interesting to see how it all plays out considering he hasn’t reached his prime years yet.
I hope it isn't just a one year signing and that he shifts back to the Crusaders afterwards. I think Gallagher will become a mainstay in the Canes tight five. The Crusaders have Barrett who will be there for a while and then Hannah who is a future AB in waiting. I think if Gallagher can lock down a spot at the Canes he probably wouldn't go back just to be a second fiddle player. It's a good move for him IMO.
If the Canes can get a solid hooker to back-up Aumua, our forwards will be a lot stronger than our backs next year. Something that I don't think I've ever said about a Canes side.
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The Gallagher move is very strange. He's been earmarked by the Crusaders as a long-term fixture and received ample minutes in his early years (and likely would've seen similar game time this year were it not for injuries). Would be odd to see any player shift away from any franchise given the above situation, less alone from the Crusaders (regardless of the change in coach/cultures etc).
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@Mr-Fish said in Hurricanes 2025:
The Gallagher move is very strange. He's been earmarked by the Crusaders as a long-term fixture and received ample minutes in his early years (and likely would've seen similar game time this year were it not for injuries). Would be odd to see any player shift away from any franchise given the above situation, less alone from the Crusaders (regardless of the change in coach/cultures etc).
He obviously wants to start though and he's stuck behind Barrett, Strange and now Hannah. I think it's a good move for him. Why wait to get an opportunity when you are almost guaranteed a starting spot somewhere else.
He's only signed for one year so who knows. Maybe he's coming up to the Canes to get some game time before heading back (when/if) Barrett takes a sabbatical.
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More on Gallagher here:
The Hurricanes have added lock Zach Gallagher to their side, ahead of the 2025 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season, with the Canterbury product making the shift north to join the side.
A product of Christs College and the Crusaders Academy the 197cm Gallagher will add some size to the Hurricanes locking department, when he joins the side for preseason this November.
Making his NPC debut for Canterbury in 2020, the then 19-year-old went on to join the Crusaders ahead of the 2022 season making a total of 19 appearances for the side.
An All Blacks XV representative in 2022, Head Coach Clark Laidlaw said it was pleasing to be able to attract a player like Gallagher to the Hurricanes.
“It’s pleasing to be able to add a player like Zach to our roster ahead of 2025. Our coaching staff have worked hard to build a culture where players want to come and be part of the Hurricanes.”
“Zach has the attributes to become an outstanding rugby player and is someone which we have identified can add to the size and ability we already have in that area.”
Combining his rugby, with studying towards a Batchelor of Commerce at UC, Gallagher said he was pleased to put to pen to paper with the Hurricanes, stating it was exciting for him to get out of his comfort zone, after a number of years in the red and black system.
“As a born and bred Cantabrian, I was honoured to represent the Crusaders. From speaking to the Hurricanes coaches, I was excited by the opportunity to be able to represent such a fantastic team. They had an outstanding 2024 season and I am thrilled to be able to make the shift to Wellington and work with Bryn and Whoppa (Jamie Mackintosh) after the NPC campaign with Canterbury,”
Gallagher will join the Hurricanes for preseason in November.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Mr-Fish said in Hurricanes 2025:
The Gallagher move is very strange. He's been earmarked by the Crusaders as a long-term fixture and received ample minutes in his early years (and likely would've seen similar game time this year were it not for injuries). Would be odd to see any player shift away from any franchise given the above situation, less alone from the Crusaders (regardless of the change in coach/cultures etc).
He obviously wants to start though and he's stuck behind Barrett, Strange and now Hannah. I think it's a good move for him. Why wait to get an opportunity when you are almost guaranteed a starting spot somewhere else.
He's only signed for one year so who knows. Maybe he's coming up to the Canes to get some game time before heading back (when/if) Barrett takes a sabbatical.
For sure - but I would've expected him to start ahead of Hannah and quite possibly Strange. In 2022 (the last team he was fully fit?) he shared bench duties equally with Strange, with Barrett and Whitelock the two starters.
Maybe he's just looking for a fresh start after two years of injuries...
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@Mr-Fish said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Mr-Fish said in Hurricanes 2025:
The Gallagher move is very strange. He's been earmarked by the Crusaders as a long-term fixture and received ample minutes in his early years (and likely would've seen similar game time this year were it not for injuries). Would be odd to see any player shift away from any franchise given the above situation, less alone from the Crusaders (regardless of the change in coach/cultures etc).
He obviously wants to start though and he's stuck behind Barrett, Strange and now Hannah. I think it's a good move for him. Why wait to get an opportunity when you are almost guaranteed a starting spot somewhere else.
He's only signed for one year so who knows. Maybe he's coming up to the Canes to get some game time before heading back (when/if) Barrett takes a sabbatical.
For sure - but I would've expected him to start ahead of Hannah and quite possibly Strange. In 2022 (the last team he was fully fit?) he shared bench duties equally with Strange, with Barrett and Whitelock the two starters.
Maybe he's just looking for a fresh start after two years of injuries...
I wonder how much this new training facility had an impact
'Together we walk' - Razor reveals theme connecting the All Blacks
The new All Blacks head coach gave an insight into what will drive his team this year as they prepare for a demanding 14-Test schedule.
Speaking of being undercover, Robertson’s address was made an indoor training centre at the NZCIS, a new purpose-built sporting and conference centre over 18 hectares in Lower Hutt, a facility he described as a “game changer for us”.
The All Blacks will increasingly base themselves at the facility, which features accommodation, rehabilitation and all the training resources imaginable. The Hurricanes, this year’s Super Rugby top seeds heading in the playoffs, base themselves there, as do the Phoenix, Baseball NZ, and others.
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fixed
Combining his rugby, with studying towards a Batchelor of Commerce at UC, Gallagher said he was pleased to put to pen to paper with the Hurricanes, stating it was exciting for him to get out of his discomfort zone, after a number of years in the red and black and blue system.
“As a born and bred Cantabrian, I was honoured to leave the Crusaders. They had an outstandingly bad 2024 season and I am thrilled to be able to make the shift to Wellington and work with Bryn and Whoppa (Jamie Mackintosh) after the NPC campaign with Canterbury”
I mean you know things are bad when a tight forward wants to change islands to learn from Whoppa.
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@nostrildamus to be fair he’s made Aumua an AB again and managed to get Tosi up to AB standard so I’m sure he can get the best out of Gallagher. The Saders coaching group isn’t nearly as good as it used to be.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@nostrildamus to be fair he’s made Aumua an AB again and managed to get Tosi up to AB standard so I’m sure he can get the best out of Gallagher. The Saders coaching group isn’t nearly as good as it used to be.
yes he could be a good coach, I was just making a cheap aside about his propping! Feel free to ignore!
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@nostrildamus said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@nostrildamus to be fair he’s made Aumua an AB again and managed to get Tosi up to AB standard so I’m sure he can get the best out of Gallagher. The Saders coaching group isn’t nearly as good as it used to be.
yes he could be a good coach, I was just making a cheap aside about his propping! Feel free to ignore!
Yeah I see the irony.
