Hurricanes 2024

[Canes4life]

@Stargazer let's hope Laidlaw knows what he's doing.

I'm very stoked Mafileo and Howden have signed on.

Atleast our prop and loose-forward stocks are healthy. Locks are looking very weak at this stage though unfortunately.

[Stargazer]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:

• Ben Grant - one year only. Who the fook is that guy? He looks to be a 2.05m lock who's formerly played for the Reds. 118kg aswell.

He has played for Perth Spirit and then Western Force in the NRC in Australia. In 2022 and 2023 he played for San Diego Legion in the MLR. He's 25 years old.

Most recently he played 8 games for North Harbour in the NPC. Can't say I remember him, but you can't remember them all.

[foobaNZ]

Odd signings for sure.

Taula and Love getting re introduced is gonna be interesting.

[mikey07]

Would’ve rather we re signed Naholo over Sinkinson. Taula makes sense, I had to Google Grant as I had no idea who he was. And finally Tucker what on earth.

[Chris]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:

I hope we haven't failed to pick up Delany aswell.

He is originally from Ta$man so may be heading home ? now his studies are completed in Wellington.

I haven't heard he is moving just a thought thrown out there.

[Canes4life]

After those signings, this is an update on the squad:
Props:
T Mafileo
X Numia
S Lauaki
T Lomax
? P Rakete-Stones (highly likely)
? TBC

Hookers:
A Aumua
? TBC
? TBC

Locks:
I Walker-Leawere
B Grant
J Tucker
J Taula
? potentially one more lock - Justin Sangster hopefully

Loose forwards:
T Howden
D Flanders
D Kirifi
B Shields
P Lakai
? C Delany (highly likely)
? B Iose (highly likely)
? TBC

Halfbacks:
C Roigard
T Perenara
? TBC

First Fives:
B Cameron
A Morgan
? Lincoln McClutchie (hopefully)

Centres:
R Higgins
J Barrett
B Proctor
B Sullivan
? P Umaga-Jensen (highly likely)

Outside backs:
R Love
H Godfrey
J Moorby
D Sinkinson
? Kini Naholo (highly likely)

[foobaNZ]

Lock is a concern but if we get Sangster I'm okay with it.

Really important we get a quality 10.

[Canes4life]

@foobaNZ 100%

Going from that list our areas of strength are prop, loose forward and centre.

[Duluth]

@Canes4life

So fairly similar strength to this year then?

Some of the younger guys should improve, but there's also the loss of Ardie

[Canes4life]

@Duluth aside from the obvious loss of Ardie I think we should be competing for the title next year if we can keep key guys fit. We've got a squad full of guys that have been on the verge of higher honours for a couple years now.

Guys like Aumua, Mafileo, Numia, Delany, Flanders, Kirifi, Proctor, Naholo, Sullivan, Love and a few more have been there or there abouts when it's come to AB discussions. If we can keep most of those guys fit and add in the quality of a Lomax, a Barrett, plus a Roigard, along with the experience of players like Shields and Perenara, we should be competing at the top. The input of young players like Higgins, Lakai, Lauaki etc will also be influential.

The big question will be how Laidlaw can stamp his flavour on this side, and whether or not the 'out of field' selections he's bringing in (especially at lock) will pay dividends.

The other obvious one is first five. If Brett Cameron goes down again, we are currently left with Morgan or the inexperienced Godfrey. We need to sign Lincoln McClutchie to ensure we don't fall into a hole in such a key position.

[Canes4life]

@Chris not sure, he’s been very very good the last year. It will be a big loss if he moves.

[Bovidae]

Is Tosi off-contract? Given his BOP connection McMillan might look at him for the Chiefs.

[Canes4life]

@Bovidae yeah off contract. He's a big unit but doesn't have much impact at scrum time.

[Canes4life]

The below is a highlights package of Ben Grant playing for the Legion in the MLR (same club as Ma'a Nonu). It's easy to look good in this comp, atleast he has some height.

[george33]

Have they been in contact with Josh Beehre

[Winger]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:

@taniwharugby why are we signing Australians over Kiwis? Seems very odd. I see he recently played in USA's Major League Rugby which makes me question his ability aswell. He's also played for about 1000 teams in such a short period which can't be good either.

Grrrr, why can't we sign some good locks. Tucker seems a bit average aswell. Definitely not guys I would be investing in. Dumb signings IMO.

Josh Taula? I'm sure Delany will stay.

Josh TAULA (Joshua TAULA) is a 21-year-old New Zealander rugby player standing at 2.01 m tall (6 ft 7 in) and weighing in at 124 kg (19 st 7.37 lb; 273.37 lb) , who currently plays for Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand as lock.

[Winger]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:

Jacomb or McClutchie

Who has the better game in the final (started watching but never finished).

[Canes4life]

@Winger @Stargazer would probably answer that one best.

[Stockcar86]

Jacomb got hooked soon after half time from memory, as he was not having the best game

[Winger]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:

The Tucker signing is dumb to me, he's going to be the Blackwell type player that I thought we had finally seen the back of

But taller. No more short locks hopefully. I feel OK. Delany hopefully returns and Taula hopefully has the goods

James TUCKER is a 29-year-old New Zealander rugby player standing at 1.97 m tall (6 ft 6 in) and weighing in at 115 kg (18 st 1.53 lb; 253.53 lb) , who currently plays for Waikato Mooloos in New Zealand as lock