'It's a bit overdue': Jason Holland explains the return of Hurricanes half-centurion and sheds light on Jordie Barrett conundrum
The Hurricanes, like many other New Zealand Super Rugby teams, have a little bit of a pickle on their hands.
In some positions, they’re bursting to the seams with talent – that’s allowed them to regularly rest and rotate some of their key players while never having to field an underdeveloped line-up.
There is, however, one player in their side that’s so integral to the team’s success, they simply can’t afford to be rested.
That player is All Blacks outside back Jordie Barrett, who’s started every match this season at fullback – as well as the Hurricanes’ final six games in last year’s competition, once he returned from a niggling back injury.
Barrett is such a key cog in the Hurricanes line-up, thanks in part to his excellent playmaking skills – which are integral thanks to the absence of an experienced No 10 – but also due to his deadly goalkicking.
The 24-year-old likely has the biggest boot in the country and is a threat anywhere inside the attacking half, which is likely why Hurricanes coach Jason Holland has been so resistant to resting his star player.
With bonus points likely to factor into which teams make the grand final of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, Holland has been reluctant to give Barrett a break – and the toughest matches are still ahead for the Wellingtonians.
That’s not to say that Holland has overlooked the issue entirely, however.
“We’ve looked to release Jordie of the last 15 minute of the last couple of games,” Holland said following Thursday’s team naming, “but yeah it’s definitely something we’re aware of.
“And he’s a bit of a greyhound in that he wants to keep going – and he goes pretty well. We’ll keep being smart about it.”
Just a little bit of extra firepower to really test the Brumbies in Auckland ? #SuperRugbyTT #BLUvBRUhttps://t.co/gsELYy16iK
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Barrett will again line up at fullback when the Hurricanes takes on the Western Force in Napier this weekend but if his side sew the match up early, Barrett may find himself called to the sidelines with 22-year-old Billy Proctor likely to take his place at the back of the field.
There’s another familiar figure on the bench for the Hurricanes this weekend too, with Vince Aso set to make his first appearance of the year.
The 51-cap utility back has been a regular in the Hurricanes midfield over the past few years but found his spot being occupied by youngsters Proctor and Peter Umaga-Jensen last season.
He’s one of the many players in the squad who are victims of the team’s significant depth in a number of positions, including the outside backs – but with a handful of club games under his belt, Holland now believes it’s time for Aso to shine.
“He’s had three or four club games now and been sharp in all of them,” Holland said. “He’s just another option for us on the wing and he’s been dying to get an opportunity and he’s worked himself into a space now where he can play Super footy through his club games and what he’s done here. It’s a bit overdue but it’s good to see him out there.”
Aso’s and Proctor’s abilities to cover multiple positions leaves the home team in good stead for Friday’s match, with plenty of options for how to deploy the backline.
“We’ve got Billy on the bench as well so it gives us flexibility there,” said Holland. “Obviously, if we had a winger go off in the first 10 minutes, Vinny would go onto the wing.
“As far as later in the game, we have flexibility to do what we feel there. Vinny’s all over the centre role and the wing role and Billy’s all over the 13 and 15 roles so they can slot in whatever we need.”
Friday’s match kicks off at 7:05pm NZT from Napier.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
26 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
26 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
26 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
26 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
26 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments