1
Hurricanes wunderkind Ruben Love will finally link up with TJ Perenara
Wellington Lions coach Leo Crowley has named five debutants in his 23-man squad for this Saturday’s opening round clash with Northland.
ADVERTISEMENT
The team will contain two current All Blacks, with Asafo Aumua released from international duty to start at hooker and TJ Perenara granted a return to Wellington having missed the 2021 Super Rugby season whilst playing in Japan.
Aumua is set to line up alongside Xavier Numia and Alex Fidow, forming the same front row combination that started in the defeat to Tasman back in the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup Premiership final.
In the engine room, Hurricanes regular James Blackwell starts alongside ex-Racing 92 and All Black, Dominic Bird.
Meanwhile, Du’Plessis Kirifi will lead the side from openside-flanker, combining with Taine Plumtree and debutant Keelan Whitman, who will start at No 8.
In the backline, starting halfback Perenara will certainly be excited by the opportunity to link up with the mercurial prospect that is the 20-year-old Ruben Love, who is set to start at No 10. Perenara of course is no stranger to star quality outside him at first-five, he and Beauden Barrett forming one of the most dangerous nine-ten pairings in recent Super Rugby history.
Love, who was recently named in the New Zealand U20s side for 2021, made a total of seven appearances for the Hurricanes this year and showcased glimpses of his exciting running and counter-attacking ability. Featuring alongside the 69-test cap Perenara, is certainly not a bad prospect for the youngster’s continuing development.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the centres, Peter Umaga-Jensen pairs up with Vince Aso, with Aso heading to Japan at the end of the season. Ex All Black Julian Savea starts on the wing, with Wes Goosen and Pepesana Patafilo joining him in the back three.
On the bench, halfback Richard Judd, first-five Brandyn Laursen and prop PJ Sheck will all be in line to make their respective debut appearances for the province.
The team features 12 players who have experienced Super Rugby in 2021 and Crowley will hope that the side can get off to a good start in this year’s Bunnings NPC.
The past month has certainly had its ups and downs for the new Springboks head coach #CastleLionsSeries #LionsTour2021 #LionsRugbyhttps://t.co/X8YZ0JH0CN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 4, 2021
The Wellington Lions matchday 23:
- Xavier Numia (Oriental Rongotai)
- Asafo Aumua (Avalon)
- Alex Fidow (Ories)
- James Blackwell (Petone)
- Dominic Bird* (Upper Hutt Rams)
- Taine Plumtree (Old Boys University)
- Du’Plessis Kirifi © (Northern United)
- Keelan Whitman* (Marist St Pats)
- TJ Perenara (Northern United)
- Ruben Love (Wainuiomata)
- Pepesana Patafilo (Tawa)
- Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
- Vince Aso (Petone)
- Julian Savea (Oriental Rongotai)
- Wes Goosen (Old Boys University)
- Bruce Kauika-Petersen (Northern United)
- Vince Sakaria (Marist St Pats)
- PJ Sheck* (Tawa)
- Caleb Delaney (Old Boys University)
- Sam Smith (Wainuiomata)
- Richard Judd* (Paremata-Plimmerton)
- Brandyn Laursen* (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
- Tomasi Alosio (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
(*) denotes debutant
ADVERTISEMENT
Wellington play Northland at Sky Stadium, Wellington on Saturday 7th August, kick-off at 2:05pm.
Comments on RugbyPass
Yawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
22 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI 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.
13 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.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 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?
13 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?
44 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.
2 Go to comments