Hurricanes v Rebels: Canes’ depth is unmatched, Rebels forwards outmuscled again

The Hurricanes are still the only undefeated side left in Super Rugby Pacific with the men from New Zealand’s capital running riot in a 54-28 win over the Melbourne Rebels on Friday.

Playing at Palmerston North’s Central Energy Trust Arena, wing Salesi Rayasi scored a first-half double as the Canes ran away with a commanding lead by the 30-minute mark.

While the Canes were playing at about a point a minute at one stage, the Rebels didn’t throw in the towel. There were signs of promise but the visitors will be disappointed with their overall performance.

Here are some key takeaways from the Hurricanes’ big win.

Canes have the best depth in Super Rugby Pacific

Standing tall as the only undefeated team left in the competition, the Hurricanes rolled the dice earlier this week by making a staggering 14 changes to their starting side to play the Rebels.

All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax was the only start from the round four win over the Crusaders to their spot in the starting XV as coach Clark Laidlaw turned to a mix of youth and experience.

Team captain Brad Shields was named for his first Hurricanes match since leaving the club in 2018, TJ Perenara was handed a start and Jordie Barrett returned from suspension.

But there was also a sense of inexperience or experimentation as youngster Aidan Morgan paired Perenara in a new halves combination, and Harry Godfrey started in the No. 15 jumper.

With the Hurricanes flying high coming into the fifth round of Super Rugby Pacific, changing almost the entire First XV was certainly a risk – but wow, it certainly paid off.

Godfrey, 21, led the way with 75 running metres, four line breaks, two defenders beaten, eight runs and a try during the first 40 minutes alone. This continued after the break, too.

Others including debutant Ngane Punivai, wing  Daniela Sinkinson, and the second-row duo of Justin Sangster and Caleb Delany were among those who made sure to get stuck in early.

The first half laid the foundations for a scintillating Hurricanes win. With 14 changes, there wasn’t a single player who let the teammates or the jersey down as the unbeaten run continued.

With the Hurricanes set to face the Highlanders, Chiefs and Fijian Drua away over the next three rounds, the Wellingtonian’s will likely revert to a more familiar lineup during that period.

But they sent a message to the entire Super Rugby Pacific competition tonight. The Hurricanes have the best depth in the competition and they can flex that muscle whenever they need to.

Rebels forwards outmuscled by dynamic Canes pack

During the Rebels’ mixed start to the season, it hasn’t been uncommon to see the Melbournians monstered up front – whether that be at the set-piece or around the field at the breakdown.

It was more of the same on Friday night with the Rebels conceding an early penalty at the scrum. Shortly after, one of the commentators explained the Rebels had been “outmuscled” at the breakdown.

Marquee recruit Taniela Tupou came off the bench and showed signs of promise, but for the most part, it was a battle in the Hurricanes’ favour as they never really looked like slowing down.

Plenty can be analysed about the Rebels conceding more than 50 points for the second week in a row, but their work upfront can be identified as a concern.

Even if you watch Carter Gordon, it’s tough for the playmaker to play with front-foot ball when the forward pack are going backwards.

In comparison, the likes of Du’Plessis Kirifi, Tyrel Lomax and Devan Flanders were consistently dominant around the park.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom. Replacement Jordan Uelese reaped the rewards of a rolling maul late in the fixture to score.

But, overall, it was largely a losing battle once again for the Rebels’ pack.

TJ Perenara will play for the All Blacks under Scott Robertson

All the talk in New Zealand rugby circles over the last 24 hours or so has been about the potential return of All Blacks great Sam Whitelock.

As reported by the New Zealand Herald on Thursday, the 153-Test veteran was apparently approached by All Blacks coach Scott Robertson about a return to international rugby.

Every rugby fan is entitled to their opinion about this but even if Whitelock doesn’t play, just having the two-time Rugby World Cup winner back in that environment would be invaluable.

The same can be said about TJ Perenara. Before the start of the new season, all of the halfback hype and chatter surrounded the likes of Finlay Christie, Folau Fakatava and Cortez Ratima.

All three men are young and eager to prove their worth within the Test arena. But Perenara, who has recently returned from injury, is letting his rugby do the talking.

Perenara, who ruptured his Achilles against England in November 2022, sent a message to national selectors with a masterful performance against the Rebels on Friday.

The 80-Test All Black completed eight tackles, made two line breaks from eight carries, and of course, scored a try midway through the second half – having almost scored one earlier on.

Points Flow Chart

Hurricanes win +26

Time in lead

69

Mins in lead

0

86%

% Of Game In Lead

0%

36%

Possession Last 10 min

64%

2

Points Last 10 min

7

Perenara will be an All Black under Scott Robertson.

The halfback is not only good enough to partner Cam Roigard as a lethal one-two punch off the bench at the Canes, but the pair should do the same at international level as well.

But beyond that, even when Perenara is not playing, just having the scrum-half in the squad will prove incredibly important to the future of the All Blacks as they usher in a new era.

Big three show their class on a memorable night in Palmy

If you’ve read this far, you know TJ Perenara was superb. In a new-look Hurricanes starting side, Perenara led the way with both action and words in Palmerston North.

But didn’t act alone. Coach Clark Laidlaw had the selection luxury this week of changing almost the entire starting side while calling on three genuine legends to don Hurricanes colours.

Along with Perenara, captain Brad Shields and All Blacks utility Jordie Barrett didn’t just stand out, they starred in their return to the Canes’ starting side.

Barrett, who returned from suspension, was especially impressive during the opening half of the contest. The All Black scored a try and played a part in the leadup to Harry Godfrey’s score, too.

With just over 10 minutes to play, commentator Rikki Swannell said Barrett hadn’t “skipped a beat.” Moments later, the midfielder crossed for his second try of the night.

The Hurricanes are on top of the ladder, but they’re a better team with Barrett back in the mix.

As for Shields, who played eight Tests for England, the backrower returned to the Canes’ starting side for a competitive Super Rugby fixture for the first time since 2018.

Shields didn’t look out of place, either, with the 103-game Hurricanes veteran scoring a try of his own during a one-sided first-half in favour of the hosts.

Out of any forward, Shields was among the most active during the entirety of the contest. There’s no doubt the club captain has earned a start at blindside flanker next week.

It’s a scary prospect for the competition that the Hurricanes, as good as they’ve been, can be even better with Perenara, Barrett and Shields back playing leading roles.

Signs of promise from 2023 Junior Wallaby Mason Gordon

Mason Gordon, the younger brother of fly-half Carter, made his Super Rugby Pacific debut at half-time by replacing Wallaby Andrew Kellaway.

There were some big shoes to fill for the youngster, and while there appeared to be some signs of nerves – as expected – Gordon showed some genuine signs of promise off the pine.

Gordon wasn’t afraid to take the line on and was eventually rewarded for that, with the playmaker scoring a try in the 60^th minute for the Rebels.

Australian rugby fans should be quite excited about the prospect of Mason and Carter working on this 10-15 combination moving forward.