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Hurricanes recruiting former captain to help fill impending Savea void

By Ned Lester
Brad Shields and Beauden Barrett line up with the Hurricanes pregame. Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images

Much has been made of the exodus of All Blacks players following this year’s World Cup, the departures of the team’s most tenured professionals is always a challenge for the following World Cup cycle to navigate. But the impact at Super Rugby level will also leave teams in a state of prescribed rebuilding, as the conclusion of 2023 will mark the end of various careers, mostly of those in leadership positions across the five domestic teams.

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Replacing talent is one issue, but losing the experience of 84-cap Test veteran Dane Coles and 70-Test powerhouse No 8 Ardie Savea will not just leave a hole in the Hurricanes’ starting XV, but also the side’s leadership group, culture and team identity.

That’s why coach Jason Holland and the Hurricanes are looking to recruit some wise-heads for 2024, in addition to the abundance of young talent coming through the Wellington system.

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Former Hurricanes captain and 8-time England international Brad Shields possesses over 100 caps in Super Rugby, and after an uncertain five years in Europe, the 31-year-old may be on his way back to New Zealand shores to help fill the void left by the departing All Blacks.

“We’ve been talking to Shieldsy,” Holland told media ahead of the Hurricanes’ round five match with Moana Pasifika. “He’s obviously had a niggly time over there with Wasps folding and he’s still in really, really good nick. We’re having chats, so there’s no point denying that.

“He’s always been one of the superstars of our environment and has got a good sense of humour and works really hard. He’s a pretty special player around his physicality, his ability in the carry and the tackle

“All the things we knew of Shieldsy when he was with the Canes all those years ago we’re still seeing in the last six to ninth months at Wasps and Perpignan.

“It’s exciting to get a Hurricane who has been there and done that, and we know is a proud Hurricane, back into the environment.”

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Holland’s proactive future proofing looks to put the Hurricanes in good stead for the next World Cup cycle, although the coach himself may not be a part of that era.

The 50-year-old’s contract concludes at the end of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season and rumours around his future have been circling ever since the All Blacks’ series loss to Ireland and the ensuing coaching review. Reports claim Holland was to be a part of Scott Robertson’s coaching crew if the Crusaders mastermind was to have taken over from Ian Foster prior to the 2022 Rugby Championship.

Foster was instead backed to lead the All Blacks through until the 2023 World Cup, only to have his successor (for the 2024-27 cycle) named prematurely, six months out from the tournament. Robertson’s appointment this week restarted the chatter around the future coaching group and Holland’s name was inevitably one of those in circulation.

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Holland was open and blunt about his position: “I’ll put it to bed now, I haven’t heard from Razor (Robertson) in the last couple of months. We haven’t spoken about it in the last couple of months so unfortunately I haven’t got anything more for you on that.”

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Trevor 9 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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