'Everyone is going to be fired up': Hurricanes star reveals excitement about Super Rugby restart
Super Rugby players aren’t meant to spend April and May on the sidelines, so having been forced to do so by Covid-19, there’s little wonder a return to the grass is being eagerly anticipated.
New Zealand Rugby this week unveiled Super Rugby Aotearoa, a ten-week round-robin competition with all five sides playing each other home and away.
“It’s going to be a spectacle, I reckon,” said Hurricanes hooker Ricky Riccitelli.
“Everyone’s going to be so keen and that amped and fired up to get back out on the footy field.
“There’s been a lot of speculation about it and a lot of waiting around not knowing what’s happening.
“By the time it comes around to that first kick-off – jeepers – I don’t know if I’d want to be the one running back on the first kick-off!”
The squads will reassemble next week and prepare for the first of eight gruelling derbies, starting with the Highlanders hosting the Chiefs in Dunedin on Saturday June 13. The Hurricanes will meet the Blues in Auckland the next day while the defending champion Crusaders have been handed the competition’s first bye.
A return to contact training is seen as crucial to prepare the players for the rigours of such high-intensity action.
“With eight super rugby derbies for each team, it’s pretty much the hardest rugby below international level you can get,” said Riccitelli.
“It’s getting the bodies ready so it’s safe for everyone. It’ll just be building into it and getting used to tackling again and being knocked around a little bit. It’s more like damage control, so you don’t go from zero to one-hundred straight away.
“Along with the big contacts, it’s a much faster brand of footy that we love to play in New Zealand. There are bodies going everywhere and you need faster reaction times.
“But once you’re out there, you’re pretty much playing and don’t actually notice the (increased) level of it.”
After 13 years of service in Australia, Kurtley Beale will depart for French glamour club Racing 92 ahead of the 2020-21 season.https://t.co/TuhvNOzPP4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 11, 2020
The nuggety Taranaki rake spent the first month of lockdown at home with his mum in New Plymouth before returning to the capital in Alert Level Three.
“As weird as it sounds, sometimes a break can be a good thing,” he said.
“You can refresh and have a really good think about things and what you want to get out of your trainings and your footy.
“But speaking to the boys, we’re just all so amped and ready to get back into work and get amongst each other and around each other’s company. I’ve missed the lads and the environment so it’ll be so awesome to go back into battle with them on the weekends again and put some good performances out there.”
The only thing missing will be the crowds with the competition to be played behind closed doors as part of the protocols around mass gatherings.
“It’ll definitely be different but the boys are so keen to get back into it, I don’t think it’ll be a big factor,” said Riccitelli.
“Obviously not having fans in the stadium is not ideal, but we’re just grateful to be back playing some footy and doing what we love doing.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments