It's simply not good enough that the Hurricanes don't have a formidable tight five after 25 years of trying
Saturday spoke volumes for Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara.
To have achieved so much at the Hurricanes – while working with so very little – says plenty about what a fine first five-eighth and halfback combination they were.
It’s simply not good enough that the Hurricanes don’t have a formidable tight five or reliable set pieces. When you consider they’ve arguably never had those, then this situation is simply unforgivable.
Let’s linger on Barrett and Perenara a moment.
You assume the Hurricanes have tried over the years to grow or assemble a group of competent tight forwards. Individually there are few names you could toss up – Hurricanes who managed to become or remain All Blacks – but in the big games, when it really counted, good teams like the Crusaders invariably ground them into the mud.
After a while you get a reputation for being a bit weak, so much so that a potential second-generation Hurricane like Scott Barrett realises he’s way better off in Christchurch.
That kind of tag takes a while to shed.
But how about the halfback and first-five positions? For how long did the Hurricanes know that Perenara and Barrett would depart at some point?
In Barrett’s situation, his signing with the Blues was a case of third-time lucky. They’d never made any secret of their desire to get him and he’d never pretended he wasn’t tempted to go.
And yet the poor old Hurricanes never teed anyone up to replace him.
They’ll now wring their hands about the long-term injury to Jamie Booth, but he’s hardly an adequate stand-in for Perenara either.
It’s hard to conjure a good tight five out of thin air, but surely the franchise had planned for life without Beauden and TJ?
Saturday’s 31-16 loss to the Blues was an embarrassment. It’s testament to the ability of a few Hurricanes that the final score was so close, especially when you consider the ineptitude of the home team’s set pieces.
The Hurricanes have one reliable lineout forward – Vaea Fifita – who they dragged in the 43rd minute. Reed Prinsep tries his best, but if the Hurricanes think he’s the answer to anything then they’re asking the wrong questions.
The team is – and pretty much always has been – crying out for tight forwards and yet who do they sign in the off-season? Julian Savea.
Look, if the Hurricanes’ coaches can’t make a Super Rugby wing out of Salesi Rayasi, then they may as well give the game away.
They couldn’t even give Ngani Laumape a decent opportunity on Saturday which – again – just shows you how well Barrett and Perenara did for so long.
Tight forwards win you titles. Year after year, it was the Crusaders’ propping rotation that saw them come up trumps.
Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Joe Moody, Tim Perry, Wyatt Crockett, Nepo Laulala, Michael Alaalatoa, the list goes on. Greg Feek, Greg Somerville, Dave Hewett. We’d be here all day if we tried to roll out some of the locks and hookers as well.
Is it recruitment? Is it coaching? Is it culture? Is it even just geography?
Whatever it is, the Blues are a legitimate title-contender this year because they’ve got Ofa Tuungafasi, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Alex Hodgman, James Lay, Marcel Renata and Laulala to share the propping duties. Sure, there’s a surfeit of talent elsewhere in the squad too, but it all starts with your four props.
Well, at least that’s where it starts at the better franchises.
At the Hurricanes, it’s always been about hoping the backs and loosies can work enough magic to cover for the deficiencies up front.
In Ardie Savea and Asafo Aumua and Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape and even in the real triers like Wes Goosen, the Hurricanes boast individuals who deserve better.
Individuals who, on their day, will inspire the team to victory.
But it’s strong set pieces that bring you sustained rugby success. The Crusaders have pretty much always known that and the Blues look like they know that now too.
It’s hard to know quite what the Hurricanes’ excuse is.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept 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.
35 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
35 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
35 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.
35 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
35 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.
35 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.
2 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.
35 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 comments