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Hurricanes player ratings vs Blues | Super Rugby Pacific
The Hurricanes faced the Blues in their second match of the Super Rugby Pacific competition in Dunedin on Saturday.
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To finally get their season underway, the Blues came out firing early and looked in control for most of the match. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck looked at home in the midfield for his first professional game of rugby and Caleb Clarke was strong in his return to fifteens.
After trailing the Blues 32-14 with 10 minutes to go, the Hurricanes made a comeback thanks to the injection of Ruben Love and Peter Umaga-Jensen.
An incredible try from captain and talismanic figure Ardie Savea in the 80th minute clinched the 33-32 victory for the Canes.
Here’s how the Hurricanes rated:
1. Pouri Rakete-Stones – 5.5
Made an important stop close to the line to prevent a blues try. Was solid if not spectacular at scrum time. Was replaced shortly after the second half began.
2. Asafo Aumua – 6
Managed the lineout well and was industrious across the park. Got a couple of touches ball-hawking out on the wing. Got back in the game following a head knock to Devery.
3. Tyrel Lomax – 6
Was a rock in the scrum and got involved in the forward play. Dropped a difficult pass at his ankles a metre from the try line that proved costly.
4. James Blackwell – 5
Struggled to win his own lineout ball and was often out-muscled by the opposition. Played the full game and was still able to contribute to the Canes momentum shift late in the second half.
5. Justin Sangster – 6.5
In just his second game, the young lock had an important turnover in the first half and made metres in the carry to create momentum for the Canes. Was second in the Canes tackle count with 12.
6. Reed Prinsep – 6
Was a lineout option a number of times during the game and worked hard all game to provide support for the forwards to truck it up the field. Had five carries and six tackles.
7. Blake Gibson – 5.5
His blonde mop could be seen all over the park. Had some strong carries
8. Ardie Savea – 8
Made some astute captaincy decisions to keep the Canes within touch of the blues. Once again carried the team on his back with his characteristic hard carries and was rewarded by winning the game with the final try in the 80th minute.
9. Jamie Booth – 5.5
Was under pressure at times at the ruck and his communication with his forwards broke down when the defence came up on them. Provided good ball whenever the Canes managed to get a roll-on.
10. Jackson Garden-Bachop – 5
Couldn’t get the backline firing. Didn’t provide much direction with the ball and simply acted as their main distributor. Some of his kicking options were not very effective.
11. Salesi Rayasi – 7
The flying winger got off to a fast start, nabbing an intercept to open the scoring for the Canes. Finished strong by finishing off a pass from Love for his second try and got a hattrick with an amazing finish in the corner.
12. Julian Savea – 6.5
Was impressive in his first start in the twelve jersey. Stood his ground in defence and had some strong carries through the middle for 66 metres. However, questions still remain as to whether it is his best position going forward.
13. Bailyn Sullivan – 7
A good outing for Sullivan considering it was his first start at outside centre for the Canes. When the Canes needed it most he put in a clever grubber for Wes Goosen to stay in touch with the Blues. Capped it off by setting up Ardie Savea for the match-winning try.
14. Wes Goosen – 6
Got the Canes back in the game by gathering a grubber to score in the first half. Show his trademark elusive a number of times during the match to get on the outside of the Blues wingers.
15. Jordie Barrett – 6
He is looking more and more comfortable at the back, choosing his moments to inject himself in the backline. Won a crucial turnover early but later failed to find touch with a penalty kick that killed off an attacking opportunity and resulted in a Blues try.
Reserves
16. Jacob Devery – N/A
Came on the field at the sixtieth minute to replace Amua. Picked up a knock in a heavy collision with Mark Telea and had to go off for a HIA.
17. Xavier Numia – 5
Came on for the second half replacing Rakete-Stones.
18. Ben May – 6
The oldest player in Super Rugby was subbed on to add some starch to the Canes scrum.
19. Devan Flanders – N/A
Came off the bench and contributed to the Canes getting back in the game.
20. Brayden Iose – 7
One to watch this year. Was impressive off the bench with some hard carries and shifted Savea to number seven.
21. Richard Judd – 6
Got on the field with and combined with Love to ramp up the tempo.
22. Ruben Love – 7
Injected some energy into the Canes when he joined the game in the sixtieth minute. Delivered the ball on a platter for Rayasi to score his second. Orchestrated the Canes comeback.
23. Peter Umaga-Jensen – 7
Added impact off the bench with some direct running in the midfield. Made a crucial tackle on a rampaging Marcel Renata. Was influential in getting the Canes plenty of go-forward ball.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to comments