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Brumbies vs Hurricanes: Former NZ U20 rep stars for Brumbies
The Brumbies have ended the Hurricanes’ winning streak in a performance that saw the Wellingtonians beaten in some key areas they’ve been dominant in so far in 2024.
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The hosts had no interest in waiting for the game to get going to find their feet in the contest, instead coming out of the gates firing, clearly motivated by last week’s 46-7 demotion at the hands of the Blues in Auckland.
The Hurricanes on the other hand lacked energy and made uncharacteristic errors, although still held a significant upper hand in areas we’ve come to expect dominance from them.
Here are five takeaways from the contest.
The Brumbies set the tone and the Hurricanes obliged
There’s been no team more physically imposing in phase play than the Hurricanes this season, with the entire Wellington forward pack capable of winning the contact and getting over the gain line.
The Brumbies however flipped that script, winning the collision area early and forcing the Hurricanes onto the back foot.
Players who have been powerful on both sides of the ball were overwhelmed by an efficient, organised and hungry Brumbies pack full of intent.
Rob Valetini was immense, as were Rory Scott and Tamati Tua, rounding out the three leading ball-carriers in the contest by a clear margin.
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The Brumbies finished the game with 63 per cent possession and forced the Hurricanes to make nearly double the number of tackles, racking up 300 post-contact metres; over double their opponents’ tally.
The Brumbies out-muscled the Hurricanes consistently in phase play, something no other team has done this season. The Canes will adjust their height in the tackle for the Waratahs game, the Sydneysiders drew the short straw being the next team to face the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes’ scrum doesn’t care
With momentum very much in favour of the Brumbies, the Hurricanes’ scrum silenced the crowd at GIO Stadium.
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If it wasn’t for the visitors being able to piggyback scrum penalties up the field, who knows what the scoreline in this game would’ve been.
Allan Alaalatoa returned from injury just in time to experience the best front row in the competition in person and was duly penalised, adding to Xavier Numia’s already compelling case for All Blacks selection.
The Hurricanes enjoyed another game with 100 per cent scrum success and the fruits of that labour was evident, as was the Brumbies’ labour at lineout time.
The Australian heavyweights typically excel at lineout time but the introduction of Charlie Cale to the starting unit has only elevated that, with the No. 8’s explosive ability to get off the ground and steal ball continuing to make life hell for opposition.
The lineout would have been a big focus after the loss to the Blues, and Stephen Larkham will be a very happy coach seeing the bounce back.
This Brumbies midfield has it all
Second five-eighth Tamati Tua started this game with a bang and had his way against an All Black star in Jordie Barrett. The big midfielder’s pace proved too much for the Hurricanes’ defence as the 26-year-old ran hard lines that splintered the defensive line.
Unfortunately for Joe Schmidt, Tua is a born and raised Kiwi with no apparent ties to Australia to make him eligible for the Wallabies.
The chemistry between Tua and centre Len Ikitau may have been a compelling option for the new Wallabies boss, given Ikitau’s proven international class.
With both players in their mid-20s, this is a combination with a bright future. However, with Tua’s form, it will be interesting to see whether he stays in Australia or backs himself to be in contention for higher honours back home.
Tua has played three games for the Blues and represents Northland in the NPC, having played in the New Zealand U20s in 2017, the last time New Zealand won the world U20 champs.
Tua signed with the Brumbies in 2023, following a standout season with Northland. That means he wouldn’t be eligible for the Wallabies until 2028, when he’s 31.
Injuries are now hurting the Hurricanes
Yes, this team has incredible depth. For a player like Cam Roigard to go down and a player like TJ Perenara to come into the starting XV, that is a luxury of all luxuries.
When Asafo Aumua went down in Fiji, it looked as if the Hurricanes, and All Blacks for that matter, would be without their star hooker for the remainder of 2024. It may well eventuate that the Hurricanes will have to complete their title run without the All Black bruiser’s services, but expect to see Aumua in action for Scott Robertson later in the year.
Aumua’s understudy, James O’Reilly, has been in quality form in 2024, performing his core roles well. As mentioned, the scrum was strong throughout this game and while the lineout struggled, O’Reilly’s throwing was rarely to blame. His major fault was missing the tackle on Tua, leading to the Brumbies try.
However, the hooker’s participation in the contest only lasted 26 minutes, leading to extended minutes for 21-year-old Raymond Tuputupu. The recent New Zealand U20 product was thrown in the deep end in this clash and played admirably, being active on defence although not all that accurate, and the main issue with his lineout throws was timing and throwing harder than his teammates expected, leading to fumbles.
But the main issue for the Hurricanes was the lack of Aumua’s X-factor. In a game where the collision area was hard won and not going the Canes’ way, Aumua’s immense strength and game-breaking physicality could have been a real difference maker.
A weekly reminder: Ruben Love is really good
We’ve seen a lot from Ruben Love this season and this game again proved his talent is international ready.
There were linebreaks and good field positioning when patrolling the backfield, but one particular challenge that the Brumbies threw – or rather kicked – Love’s way was a flurry of contestable bombs. While the 22-year-old isn’t the shortest fullback, he isn’t the tallest either, potentially making life difficult when competing in the air.
However, Love’s explosiveness and fearlessness saw him claim all kicks that came his way and consistently threaten upon landing.
Comments on RugbyPass
Minicamp rules include no-pads and no tackling.
1 Go to commentsToulouse has enough quality players so no headaches 😁 Choco is rarely a starting centre. Throughout this championship there have been far worse actions that were never called… too many rules, too many rule changes, too many inconsistencies, too many angry fans. I'm not surprised rugby does not attract new spectators, how could they understand 🤣
6 Go to commentsAh yes Andy with his “Goode” views. Oke might as well come out and say it, “I like seeing South African scrums depowered in order to give the rest of the world a chance”. Somehow he thinks World Rugby always knew about calling scrums from marks and it just so happened to coincide with Damien Willemse’s call that they decided to change the rules. Ah come on, if he can't see it then he needs prescription glasses. No ways, they are doing this for the betterment of Rugby. They want to clamp down on Rassie’s innovative skills than encouraging coaches to think outside of the box to try new things. What they can't count on is what Rassie will plan next. I almost get the impression that once Rassie retires World Rugby is going to be scrabbling around trying to find their identity. Currently set at ARP (Anti-Rassie Party). Although I don't really care in that regard because they always a RWC step behind.
7 Go to commentsWow ten years since they had a backing and more from the paying public I’d also mention that as a blues man and in walking distance to the garden I’d say that this team and Vern Cotter have got us dreaming beautiful thoughts and the merit is there from numbers 1 to 23 but we would like to think this is the new dna for the ABs and a pack weighing 940kg dry y not I hasten to add it seems patty has to stay fit cause he is the driver the main driver and they follow plus the pipe man H Plummer is conducting his own orchestra ….. Beethoven anybody
1 Go to commentsJuicy stuff well covered I’d go as far as to say that the referee was a key component in keeping it a tasty spectacle
1 Go to commentsCotter has added that steel that has been missing. Let's see if it will carry until the Finals… Come on the Blues ….
2 Go to commentsAndy Goode just loves to be controversial. Its boring. Let’s all stop reading.
7 Go to commentsYou have got to consider that if the situation was flipped and the French were held to a salary cap with no English equivalent, the English would laugh in their faces and tell them to get over it. As for Leinster (as a fan), the central contract system is a dream but is guilty of cutting out the other 3 provinces. At the end of the day, it comes across outside of the English border that the Premiership is drowning and trying to take everyone else with it rather than adapt. The English lose, the English want new rules. We've seen this repeat (and once it even led to the current Champions Cup) You make many good and informed points, but if the flip was on the other flop, it wouldn't be Rugby’s problem I suspect - it would be a French one.
17 Go to commentsSeems to have been a bright start but it tailed off. To win the big matches you have to get used to putting your foot on the throttle and your opponent’s necks in an 80 minutes performance which is what the All Blacks were renowned for. An example in the Women’s game is England v Ireland in the 6N match played at Twickenham in April. Watch on YouTube.
1 Go to commentsBobby has been a first grade bonehead since high school. Like a true Cape Tonian, his own reflection is more important than anything else.
1 Go to commentsNo comment on the textbook red card for Ramm that was just ignored? Amazing that
4 Go to commentsThese rule changes have been implemented with good intentions, but much like every other rule change focus on isolated symptoms instead of the root cause. If you cannot croc roll, and cannot risk any head contact with a front on clear out, it is not clear how you are supposed to lawfully clear someone out who is attempting a jackal. This will backfire massively and lead to substantially more kicking. Teams will simply not want to take the ball into contact. Or it will lead to even more dangerous methods to clear players out who are over the ball. I much prefer having the set piece on a 30 second shot clock over no scrum on a short arm infringement. Resets are not a problem in themselves, but 90 second water and tactics breaks before every scrum are a big problem. Trainers constantly coming on to the field to help players pull their socks up and delaying the game are a problem. DuPont law was a blight on the game and should have been changed the day after it was first implemented.
79 Go to commentsAh yes, the opinion of Andy Goode… Andy Goode, the man who knows what some of the Irish players said to Eben Etzebeth after the QF, better than what Eben himself knows. And, judging by this piece, the Grandmaster of clichés.
7 Go to commentsI think this is a fair view. As a South African I am concerned about the depowering of the scrum but let’s be honest, until the SA vs FRA quarter many people didn’t even know you could take a scrum from a free kick. As you say it’s going to come down to interpretation… until then we don’t really know how this is going to impact the game. That would lead to my own objection. Do the unknowns of changing a law outweigh the cons of said law. With such an obscure law that most people had never heard of, one that had never really had an impact on the game in the first place is it worth changing to invite so much uncertainty. Better the devil you know then the devil you don’t as it were…
7 Go to comments162 comments so far and counting. i didn't realize that rugby fans are on the way to join the football brothers. what is the point to share personal opinion only to get all this shi*? it seems IRB bosses are doing the great job by killing the spirit of the game both on and outside the pitch. too sad, indeed. btw, was there anything on eben’s point of view from the boys in green, who he mentioned?
164 Go to commentsJob done guys. Great win in a game where things can quickly go wrong.
1 Go to commentsAlex Sanderson fantastic coach and person .So pleased he has signed another contract great days ahead for Sale under his leadership.
1 Go to commentsAndy Goode cant kick to 12
164 Go to commentsDoxed himself. Great work Johnny. You are well suited to the Saders
1 Go to comments_Best game players _
2 Go to comments