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Five new signings for the Hurricanes as 2023 squad named
The Hurricanes have today named their 38-man squad for the 2023 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season.
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While the core of the squad is maintained from 2022, five new signings have been named, with four players in line to make their Hurricanes debut when the competition kicks off on February 25.
Waikato outside Dan Sinkinson, Taranaki’s Kini Naholo and Manawat?’s Brett Cameron join the club for the first time, and Wellington up and comers, Riley Higgins and Peter Lakai sign their first professional Super Rugby contracts with the Hurricanes.
“We’re excited about our two new outside backs, Dan Sinkinson and Kini Naholo,” said Holland.
“There is plenty of competition among our outside backs, and both Kini and Sinkinson will come in and challenge for a spot straight away, which is exciting for us as a coaching group.
“Kini, he’s been involved in Super Rugby for a while now. He can finish, and is a powerful young talent, so we think he’s a solid new addition.
“Sinkinson played for Waikato in the NPC. He has all the attributes we are looking for, like what we saw in [Josh] Moorby this time last year.
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“He works hard, he’s strong, and we think he is going to fit the way we play, so we’re looking forward to getting him into a full-time professional environment and seeing what he can do,” said Holland.
Former Crusaders First Five Brett Cameron links up with the Hurricanes following a season with the Manawat? Turbos, and a stint with Japanese club Kamaishi Seawaves.
“He is a talented player with a great skill set, a good kicker, and punts well, but he is also a real threat at the line. He is an athlete who makes really good decisions.
Graduating from the club’s development ranks – St Pats Silverstream Alumni, Riley Higgins and Peter Lakai join the full squad for the first time, having spent the 2022 season with the side on National Development Contracts. Both have enjoyed standout rookie seasons with the Wellington side, both starting in Saturday’s NPC final win against Canterbury.
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Whilst Lakai is yet to make his Hurricanes debut, 20-year-old Higgins joined the Hurricanes squad in 2022 as injury cover, debuting off the bench against the Fijian Drua in Wellington. With his Super Rugby debut coming before he made his provincial bow, for Wellington.
“I’m excited about our first year Hurricanes. We’ve got Peter and Riley coming onboard, both of whom have been dominant in the NPC this season and will be great to see where they can get to in their first full year at Super level,” said Holland.
The Hurricanes will have plenty of experience to call upon, with All Blacks Ardie Savea, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Jordie Barrett and All Black XV’s TJ Perenara, Cam Roigard, Bailyn Sullivan and Ruben Love who will return to the capital following their respective tours.
“We are excited about the calibre of people we have in this squad. We’ve got five current All Blacks and four All Black XVs returning home to help lead the team, guys with a massive work ethic, as well as some standout players from the Bunnings NPC, including a group of Wellington players who took out the NPC title.
“Overall, we’re excited about this group. We think we’ve got a good balance of experience, alongside some youngsters who have some solid provincial experience and a big group of guys who are second and third-year Super Rugby players.
“We look forward to putting on some performances that we can be proud of, and our fans can enjoy. We can’t wait to kick off this next season of Super Rugby Pacific,” said Holland.
The 2023 squad will officially assemble on November 24, leaving them around 13 weeks to prepare for the first pre-season fixture against the Blues in Auckland on February 11, 2023. The Hurricanes opening game of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season is against the Queensland Reds in Queensland on February 25.
The 2022 Hurricanes squad:
Forwards:
Props
Owen Franks – Canterbury
Tyrel Lomax – Tasman
Tevita Mafileo – Bay of Plenty
Xavier Numia – Wellington
Pouri Rakete-Stones – Hawkes Bay
Pasilio Tosi – Bay of Plenty
Hookers
Asafo Aumua – Wellington
Dane Coles – Wellington
Jacob Devery – Hawke’s Bay
Locks
Dominic Bird – Wellington
James Blackwell – Wellington
Caleb Delany – Wellington
Justin Sangster – Bay of Plenty
Isaia Walker-Leawere – Hawke’s Bay
Loose Forwards
Devan Flanders – Hawkes Bay
Tekamaka Howden – Manawat?
Brayden Iose – Manawat?
Du’Plessis Kirifi – Wellington
Peter Lakai* – Wellington
Tyler Laubscher – Manawat?
Reed Prinsep – Canterbury
Ardie Savea – Wellington
Backs:
Inside Backs
Jamie Booth – North Harbour
Brett Cameron* – Manawat?
TJ Perenara – Wellington
Aidan Morgan – Wellington
Cam Roigard – Counties Manukau
Midfield
Riley Higgins* – Wellington
Billy Proctor – Wellington
Bailyn Sullivan – Waikato
Peter Umaga-Jensen – Wellington
Outside Backs
Jordie Barrett – Taranaki
Ruben Love – Wellington
Joshua Moorby – Northland
Kini Naholo* – Taranaki
Salesi Rayasi – Auckland
Julian Savea – Wellington
Dan Sinkinson* – Waikato
*New contracted Hurricanes
-Press Release/Hurricanes
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments