1
Dane Coles to make first appearance of the year for Hurricanes against Highlanders
Veteran hooker Dane Coles will make his first competitive appearance of the year this Friday after being named to start for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Having been sidelined for the opening rounds of this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa due to a calf strain, the 34-year-old will play in his first competitive match since he started for the All Blacks in their final Tri-Nations match against Argentina last November.
Coles’ inclusion in the match day side comes after the 74-test international featured for the Hurricanes Hunters, the franchise’s reserve team, in their victory over the Hurricanes U20 side last weekend.
With 25 minutes of action under his belt, Coles, who has hinted this may be his last season with the Hurricanes, has been injected into the starting XV in place of the impressive Ricky Riccitelli as one of three changes made by head coach Jason Holland.
Experienced lock Scott Scrafton has recovered from an ankle injury to take the place of James Blackwell, while Wes Goosen returns to the right wing as Julian Savea misses the cut.
The only changes on the bench come at hooker, with Riccitelli replacing James O’Reilly, and in the No 23 jersey, where teenage prospect Ruben Love is primed to make his Super Rugby debut from after filling the vacancy left by Goosen in the reserves.
Love, the 19-year-old utility back who played for New Zealand Schools in 2019, has impressed Holland, who said the youngster’s inclusion in the match day 23 was warranted following his work in training and throughout pre-season.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We have both ends of the spectrum with Dane coming back in and Ruben potentially getting his first run which he has earned with the work he has done through the campaign,” Holland said.
“The squad came together in a positive frame of mind following last Saturday’s disappointing loss to the Chiefs and we collectively think we are not far away from getting things right.
“Despite the loss, we have taken some positives out of the match, especially from how we performed in the first half and we learnt from what went wrong in the second half.”
Following last week’s 35-29 defeat to the Chiefs in Wellington, the Hurricanes remain winless in Super Rugby Aoteaora this season and are rooted to the bottom of the table with just one bonus point to their name.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kick-off for the Hurricanes’ clash with the Highlanders is scheduled for 7:05pm on Friday NZT.
Hurricanes team to play the Highlanders
1. Xavier Numia
2. Dane Coles
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Scott Scrafton
5. Isaia Walker-Leawere
6. Reed Prinsep
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi
8. Ardie Savea (c)
9. Luke Campbell
10. Orbyn Leger
11. Salesi Rayasi
12. Ngani Laumape
13. Billy Proctor
14. Wes Goosen
15. Jordie Barrett
Reserves:
16. Ricky Riccitelli
17. Fraser Armstrong
18. Tevita Mafileo
19. Liam Mitchell
20. Devan Flanders
21. Jonathan Taumateine
22. Peter Umaga-Jensen
23. Ruben Love
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments