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Hurricanes sign 'freakish' Wellington teenager as 2021 squad nears completion
The Hurricanes have announced the signing of young utility back, Ruben Love, on a multi-year deal.
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The 19-year-old is a former Palmerston North Boys’ High dux who represented the school’s 1st XV and the New Zealand Secondary Schools squad.
He’s also a handy cricketer, having played for New Zealand’s Under-19 squad last year.
Since graduating at the end of 2019, Love went straight into the Wellington Lions environment where he scored a try against Bay of Plenty on debut.
He says the experience has been a dream come true.
“It has been a massive step up from schoolboy and club rugby in all facets of the game, but having the support of the boys and coaches made it an effective environment to grow and develop as a person and a player.
“Scoring that try was a surreal moment for me and my family. Playing at Sky Stadium was always a dream of mine as a kid and I just wanted all my family and friends from back home in Palmerston North to be proud of me. It was for them.”
A former coach of his at PNBHS, Blair Van Stipriaan says Love possesses “freakish” physical attributes and a desire to “outwork everyone” – so his rise to success comes as no surprise.
“He is an awesome young man and as a school and as a 1st XV community, we are massively proud of what he has achieved. His former teammates will all say to you that none of this is unexpected. He has worked hard to get to where he is and will not rest on his laurels and his signing will be a trigger for him to work harder still.”
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Van Stipriaan says he was fortunate enough to witness Love’s debut for the Lions and was incredibly proud of what he witnessed.
NRL star Shaun Johnson has appeared to criticise rugby for sending players off for "hitting too hard" and wondered why rugby league isn't as big as union globally.https://t.co/beu09IRVSd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 19, 2020
“The passion he displayed after scoring the try was very un-Ruben, but the journey that he has been on since leaving our gates has tested him and that was a special moment for him and his whanau.”
Hurricanes head coach, Jason Holland, says he’s looking forward to seeing Love enter the ranks of Super Rugby.
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“Ruben is a quality young man who has all the skills. He can play a number of positions due to his skillset. He is still learning the game and what is required at Super level but will grow quickly and we expect him to add massive value to our squad for 2021 and many years in the future.”
The acquisition of Love leaves just six unfilled spots in the Hurricanes’ roster for next year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaigns.
Capable of playing across the backline, primarily at first-five and fullback, the teenager may be in line to act as a third-choice option at No. 10, with only Jackson Garden-Bachop and Simon Hickey publicly signed as the franchise’s playmakers for next year.
With Jordie Barrett and Chase Tiatia also signed on for 2021, Love’s chances of playing at fullback aren’t high, although he may feature on the wing at some stage, with only Vince Aso, Wes Goosen and Julian Savea already locked in for the upcoming season.
Four of the five New Zealand Super Rugby franchises will announce their 2021 squads on December 1, with the Crusaders reportedly expected to name their squad the following day.
Hurricanes 2020-21 transfers
In: Simon Hickey (Edinburgh), Ruben Love (Wellington), Julian Savea (Toulon)
Out: Ben Lam (Bordeaux), TJ Perenara (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes), Kobus van Wyk (Leicester Tigers)
– With Hurricanes Rugby
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Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
8 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.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 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 commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments