New Hurricanes lock had 'never been more ready for a game in my life'
Already this season the Hurricanes had rolled out one new second-rower to great success with Bay of Plenty’s Justin Sangster impressing in the opening two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific. Now, the men from the capital have blooded another youngster with new man Caleb Delany getting his first taste of action against the Highlanders.
The Super Rugby debut has been a long time coming for the 22-year-old, who was first brought into the Hurricanes squad as injury cover last year but never got the opportunity to take the field.
A full season with Wellington in the NPC followed, with Delany earning his first full-time contract for 2022 on the back of some consistent performances in the second row and on the blindside flank for the Lions.
Having built a relationship with the Hurricanes over the better part of a year, Delany was relieved to finally get on the park for the franchise in their 21-14 win in Wellington.
“It’s been a long time, to be honest,” he told RugbyPass after the match. “It’s been a couple of years just waiting around and training. It’s definitely an amazing feeling to get out there and run with the boys for the first time. It’s special for me and my family, it’s great.”
With Delany’s family residing in Nelson and only one guest allowed on Saturday per player thanks to New Zealand’s strict Covid laws, the debutant didn’t have any family on hand to witness his first match in Hurricanes colours but he had plenty of support around him from the many players he’s already built connections with in the environment, including Sangster.
“Me and him were rooming in Queenstown, actually,” Delany said of the Hurricanes’ other recently capped lock. “So I was there with him through his debut and stuff and asking him how it was and all that.
“He was asking me throughout the week how I was feeling. I’ve never been more ready for a game in my life, to be honest. I was meditating and all that jazz, just eager to get out there.
“It definitely helps a lot [knowing the players around him and feeling comfortable in the environment before taking the field]. Compared to someone like [new reserve hooker] Ray [Tuputupu], who’s just come in today but done a bloody good job. For me, knowing the boys, they can help me during the week and then help me perform out there.”
With Tuputupu only joining the squad on the day of the match and starting hooker Siua Maile also relatively new to the team, the Hurricanes had to simplify their lineout for the match-up with the Highlanders. While things didn’t always go to plan, with the southerners pilfering a few balls off the top, it was still a relatively successful day at the office for the three debutants involved at lineout time.
“We went through a little plan today when he got here and cut down the menu quite a bit for [Tuputupu] to keep it simple and we were confident with the lineouts that we’d do the job and get the ball,” Delany said.
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As a whole, however, banking a win in your first Super Rugby appearance is not a bad way to kick off your career and now that Delany is more aware of the pace involved at this new level of play, the 22-year-old will be able to quickly step up when called upon again in the future.
“It’s been pretty crazy this last year,” he said. “I’ve come up against some bloody good locks so it’s really helping me in games like this, knowing I actually am good enough. Getting out there and smacking them if I can.
“I think physicality was still a step up but the speed of the game was real tough. I was blowing. I hurt my ankle a bit, which didn’t help, but just the speeds of the rucks and all that was way quicker.”
Coach Jason Holland was also pleased with how his new charge performed, suggesting that Delany’s performance will give the selectors pause for thought moving forward.
“He’s one that’s been busting for an opportunity and now we know what he can do,” Holland said. “He’s dynamic and some of the carries and explosive stuff as well as the stuff you’d expect from a lock, we’re really impressed.
“It’s onwards and upwards for him.”
Senior lock James Blackwell has shouldered a heavy workload so far this season while the likes of Sangster and Scott Scrafton will also be up for selection in the coming weeks, giving Delany plenty of competition to develop his game throughout the season ahead. For now, however, the young second-rower is simply happy to have finally earned his first Hurricanes cap.
Comments on RugbyPass
A lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
1 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
21 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
21 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments