Hurricanes 2025
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With Salesi Rayasi and Josh Moorby announced as leaving, the Canes need to shore up their backfield and will be heavily recruiting for their replacements.
I can't think of too many quality options that aren't signed elsewhere but the below are probably who they have in mind at this stage.
Roderick Solo - the sevens whiz kid has been injured all year but he was electric for the sevens side last year. The hot stepping Solo is one player the Canes will have their eyes on for Super Rugby 2025.
Matt Proctor - was contracted to the Rebels next season but after their undoing and the fact he's back in Wellington, the Canes will want to snap him up. At 31 years old he probably doesn't have the top line pace anymore but he could bring plenty of experience to the Cane's right side on both sides of the ball, aswell as covering centre. The opportunity to play outside brother Billy will also be a key factor in getting his signature.
Stanley Solomon - has just signed for Wellington and will need to have a good NPC if he wants to force his way into the Canes. We all know about his electric speed but there will be huge question marks around his size and whether he's ready to make the step up to Super in 2025.
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@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes 2025:
Didn't realise Rayasi was leaving - can you share details Canes4life?
More details here if you can speak French - https://www.rugbyclubvannes.bzh/salesi-rayasi-vannetais-jusquen-2026
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Thanks!
Damn. I thought he was starting to get the errors out of his game back end of the season.
We will have to retain Naholo now.
I wouldn't mind Soloman getting signed up if he has a solid NPC. I see comments re: his size being a concern but SA have won WCs with Kolbe and Arendse so I don't think small wingers are a thing of the past.
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@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes 2025:
Thanks!
Damn. I thought he was starting to get the errors out of his game back end of the season.
We will have to retain Naholo now.
I wouldn't mind Soloman getting signed up if he has a solid NPC. I see comments re: his size being a concern but SA have won WCs with Kolbe and Arendse so I don't think small wingers are a thing of the past.
The only wing we have signed is Daniel Sinkinson. I'm hoping he has a big NPC as he played well with a couple of opportunities this year. Naholo needs to be signed up, he was good for most of Super Rugby before his form dropped off later in the year.
I agree re Solomon, however he might not be physically ready by next year. Solo is probably the one who would start if we signed him but not sure whether he has eyes to playing sevens or Super going forward.
Whether we go for those options remains to be seen. With all other areas aside from maybe hooker and first five looking like a strengh in 2025, Laidlaw will have his work cut out making sure this squad has the quality to go a few steps further than this year.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
With all other areas aside from maybe hooker
Hooker should be good (a strength). JO and Raymond Tuputupu (I think hes been signed) will provide VG backup to Aumua
Its 1st 5 thats the big issue
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I wish I could find some height and weight stats
Is he a 1st 5 option
Wellington Rugby
Lions lock in young talent 🦁 19 year old Stanley Solomon signs with the Wellington Lions. Stanley impressed at school level for Wellington College before making the move to Petone for his club...
La fiche rugby de : Stanley SOLOMON
La vie rugbystique de Stanley SOLOMON : sa bio, son palmarès, ses fiches de matchs, son temps de jeu, ses mensurations, sa taille, son poids...
New Zealand's newest try-scoring ace emerges in U20 championship
On Sunday, Solomon scored two tries in a 36-25 victory over Australia as the ‘Baby Blacks’ secured inaugural Rugby Championship honours.
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@Winger said in Hurricanes 2025:
I wish I could find some height and weight stats
Is he a 1st 5 option
Lions lock in young talent 🦁 19 year old Stanley Solomon signs with the Wellington Lions. Stanley impressed at school level for Wellington College before making the move to Petone for his club...
La fiche rugby de : Stanley SOLOMON
La vie rugbystique de Stanley SOLOMON : sa bio, son palmarès, ses fiches de matchs, son temps de jeu, ses mensurations, sa taille, son poids...
New Zealand's newest try-scoring ace emerges in U20 championship
On Sunday, Solomon scored two tries in a 36-25 victory over Australia as the ‘Baby Blacks’ secured inaugural Rugby Championship honours.
Yeah he can play 10, wing and fullback.
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@Winger I have known the kid from even before he started ripper at 4 years old and he has always been slight of build so there is almost nothing that can be done to change that. His father is of the traditional old fashioned prop build so he clearly gets his size from his mum, the former Black Fern Erin Rush. Right from the start he has always been a dangerous broken field runner and it was not unusual to see him and his mother at either Kilbirnie or Hataitai Parks practicing his rugby skills, inc goal kicking, after schools so it is no surprise that he is as talented and skilled as he is.
Right from the start of his playing days his Axemen Under 6s Wildfish team always finished their training sessions with a game of full contact bullrush so he was able to put into practice those swerves and steps he practiced as he evaded the crunching blows from the bigger kids had he been caught! In hindsight it was good to see the kids being taught proper tackle techniques from the age of five even though they had to wait a couple more years before they were allowed to use them in Saturday games. They certainly were not scared of the contact or afraid of getting hurt given the excellent grounding given them by their coaching staff, one of whom was Stan's father. Still being of slight build there is always the prospect of a hippopotamus smashing into him and breaking an attempted tackle no matter how correct the technique might be!
Remain to be convinced about him at first five though as he was well off the pace in a game I watched closely when NBHS trounced Well Coll a couple of years back with some very ineffective and rather aimless kicking for a big portion of the game. I was left pondering whether that was on the instructions of his coach as it was not happening in the first 15 or so minutes of the game as a few of the other times I went out of my way to watch him at high school he had a more rounded game than that. I suppose the best analogy would be to describe him as a less hairbrained Damian McKenzie. I guess only time will tell on how and where he ends up but I have got my fingers crossed as his parents are both good buggers!!!!EDIT Oh and his mother is from Taradale!!!!!!
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@MN5 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Hurricanes 2025:
@MN5 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@mariner4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
@MN5 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@mariner4life said in Hurricanes 2025:
Transfer fees? In super rugby?
For what?
What money are the Canes forking out?In a roundabout way though I sort of agree. If the NZRU pay tour salary no matter what why would you live in Dunedin or Christchurch?
Give the teams their own money and stay out of it. Let the Highlanders chuck a heap of money at Ardie to try and turn his head.
Or everyone ends up in Auckland
That’s a compliment to Wellington in a roundabout way.
I’ll take that. Nicest thing you’ve ever written on here.
I looooved living in Wellington
Now that I am old and have kids, I am not sure the fun would counteract the weather
You still have good pubs though
The weather thing is a bit of a myth. Wellington is terrific.
Well, aside from the Hutt it is.
The best thing about Wellington
is living in the Hutt, and having slew of golf courses within a 20 minute drive. The downside is the weather is generally so shit you can barely get out on the course.This is pretty much the fakest news I’ve ever read on this site which is quite a statement to make all things considered.
The old man plays at Manor Park, he's barely been off the course this Winter
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An update on the Hurricanes squad based on recent player movements. Still 9 signings to make, obvious one being ASav.
Leaving from 2024:
J Barrett (Ireland), J Moorby (France), S Rayasi (France), A Morgan (Ireland), R Judd (un-signed), J Sangster (Japan)Hurricanes Squad 2025 - signed so far
Props:
T Lomax (2026)
X Numia (2025)
T Mafileo (2026)
P Tosi (2026)
S Lauaki (2025)
P Rakete-Stones (2025)Hookers:
A Aumua (2025)Locks
Z Gallagher (2025)
C Delany (2027)
I Walker-Leawere (2026)
J Taula (2025)
T Allen (2026)Loose forwards:
P Lakai (2027)
D Flanders (2026)
B Iose (2027)
T Howden (2025)
B Shields (2026)
D Kirifi (2025)Halfbacks:
C Roigard (2027)
T Perenara (2025)
J Vijoen (2026)First fives:
B Cameron (2026)
H Godfrey (2025)Centres:
R Higgins (2026)
B Proctor (2025)
P Umaga-Jensen (2026)
B Sullivan (2025)Wings:
D Sinkinson (2025)Fullbacks:
R Love (2025) -
@Canes4life O’Reilly will be one of those 2 hookers I’d imagine.
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@mikey07 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life O’Reilly will be one of those 2 hookers I’d imagine.
and Raymond Tuputupu. Looks an excellent prospect
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@Winger said in Hurricanes 2025:
@mikey07 said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life O’Reilly will be one of those 2 hookers I’d imagine.
and Raymond Tuputupu. Looks an excellent prospect
I think Tuputupu is probably the guy they'll lock up long term. O'Reilly is serviceable but at this stage of his career he may look offshore. He's 29, soon to be 30 so may want to cash in overseas if he can.
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@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes 2025:
Yea I'd lock in Tuputupu, he was pretty impressive this year.
Except for his tackle technique. Coaching can fix that.
Yeah there are a few things to iron out with him but he will be the perfect hooker coming on late in a game for Aumua. Showed great signs this year and is a very physical tackler.
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@Canes4life Ardie definitely plying his trade in Auckland next year.
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@Nogusta said in Hurricanes 2025:
@Canes4life Ardie definitely plying his trade in Auckland next year.
Massive tip. Fascinated to see how this plays out. Mt Smart or thr Garden of Eden?
