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Hurricanes hit with injury blow as new playmaker ruled out for season
New Hurricanes first-five Simon Hickey’s return to Super Rugby is over before it even started, with the 27-year-old playmaker ruled out of action for the season.
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Hickey signed with the Hurricanes for the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, taking the place of the unwanted Fletcher Smith.
But, his Super Rugby comeback following a five-season stint in Europe with Bordeaux and Edinburgh has been thwarted after he ruptured his ACL.
The Auckland playmaker, who marked his return to New Zealand rugby in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup, took to his private Instagram profile to confirm the injury news on Tuesday.
“Pre season started with high hopes and ended with a ruptured ACL. Gutted I won’t get the opportunity to wear this jersey this season. Going to be a tough year but I’ll be back,” Hickey wrote.
The injury leaves experienced pivot Jackson Garden-Bachop as the only specialist No. 10 in the Hurricanes squad a week-and-a-half out from the kick-off of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Garden-Bachop started against the Blues in the game-of-three-halves in Upper Hutt on Saturday, with former Blues, Chiefs and New Zealand U20 five-eighth Orbyn Leger starting against the Chiefs.
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That could mean Leger is in line for a full contract with the Wellington franchise, a deal that would make the Hurricanes his third Super Rugby franchise in four seasons.
Other options include star utility back Jordie Barrett, who played at first-five for the All Blacks against Namibia at the 2019 World Cup, and teenage rookie Ruben Love, who scored a try and two conversions against the Chiefs from fullback on Satuday.
Hickey becomes the latest injury concern for Super Rugby franchises throughout the pre-season period.
In New Zealand, the Blues have lost wing Jone Macilai-Tori for the season through a fractured arm, while the Highlanders are without new recruit Jermaine Ainsley for the year due to a high ankle sprain.
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The three-test Wallabies prop joins Pari Pari Parkinson (ankle) and Sam Gilbert (knee) as the franchise’s long-term injury concerns, while loosehead prop Ayden Johnstone is still recovering from a concussion sustained ahead of the North vs South game.
Former Chiefs wing Bryce Heem has joined one of the Hamilton side's rivals for the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa season.https://t.co/6b7uckzKnZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 16, 2021
At the Crusaders, one-test midfielder Braydon Ennor is also expected to be gone for the season because of the ACL he ruptured in that same game, and All Blacks wing George Bridge isn’t expected to return from a long-standing chest injury until after three-to-four weeks of action.
The reigning champion’s Irish prop Oli Jager, meanwhile, left last week’s pre-season clash with the Highlanders with a potentially serious ankle injury.
Across the ditch in Australia, notable players to have picked up serious injuries include Wallabies wing Tom Wright (knee) and Reds captain Liam Wright (foot), both of whom will miss large chunks of Super Rugby AU.
The Hurricanes will face the Highlanders in their final pre-season clash in Alexandra on Friday, before opening their Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign against the Blues in Wellington next Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
3 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
3 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments