Recap: Hurricanes vs Sharks LIVE | Super Rugby
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Sharks at Sky Stadium.
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Fresh off last week’s dismantling of the Highlanders in Dunedin, the Sharks will look to prolong their undefeated start to Super Rugby after their season-opening victory over the Stormers in Durban a fortnight ago.
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Under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium, speedsters Aphelele Fassi and Makazole Mapimpi shone with their out-and-out pace on the bone-dry track, which ultimately put the error-ridden hosts to bed.
Both outside backs will again be integral to the Sharks’ chances of victory in the Kiwi capital on Saturday, and both have been retained in the starting lineup by head coach Sean Everitt.
In fact, all but one of the players who started in the Sharks’ 42-20 drubbing of the Highlanders eight days ago will again run out against the Hurricanes, with star playmaker Curwin Bosch the only casualty.
There is just one change to the Cell C Sharks side that takes on @Hurricanesrugby this Saturday morning (8am kick-off SA time) in our second tour match of the Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
Full article and team release: https://t.co/dJZpiT925w#OurSharksForever #HURvSHA pic.twitter.com/iDULPg4O4G
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) February 13, 2020
The 22-year-old has returned to South Africa following a family bereavement, and has been replaced in the No. 10 jersey by youngster Boeta Chamberlain.
That switch has spurred two changes on the bench, as loose forward duo Dylan Richardson and Phepsi Buthelezi come in as Chamberlain and Sanele Nohamba’s replacements to give the Sharks a 6-2 positional split in the reserves.
The hosts, meanwhile, will be aiming to build on their 26-23 comeback win over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires last week, which came after a dismal 27-0 thrashing at the hands of the Stormers in Cape Town in round one.
Jordie Barrett’s monstrous 63m penalty eventually proved vital to the Hurricanes’ success in the Argentine capital, and it wouldn’t surprise to see the All Blacks fullback’s massive boot again utilised in front of his home crowd on Saturday.
He will again start in the No. 15 jersey and is one of 11 players who have kept their places in head coach Jason Holland’s starting side.
The three personnel changes have come at lock, in the loose forwards and in the midfield.
Opening Night Lineup 👀 @SuperRugbyNZ @skystadium @TheSharksZA pic.twitter.com/I5PtfwKckt
— Hurricanes Rugby (@Hurricanesrugby) February 13, 2020
Vince Aso is the only alteration in the backline, with the 25-year-old slotting in for young prospect Bill Proctor at centre.
In the forward pack, promising flanker Du’Plessi Kirifi has been demoted to the bench in place Vaea Fifita, whose inclusion in the starting XV has forced a back row re-shuffle.
Subsequently, Fifita will start at blindside flanker to push Reed Prinsep to No. 8, which has in turn shifted Gareth Evans into the openside role.
In the second row, Isaia Walker-Leawere is joined by former Blues lock Scott Scrafton, who replaces James Blackwell.
On the bench, veteran All Blacks hooker Dane Coles is primed to make his first appearance of the 2020 campaign in the No. 16 jersey.
He is among five new faces in the reserves, alongside Proctor, Kirifi, lock Liam Mitchell and prop Pouri Rakete-Stones.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments