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Ruben Love returns to 1st XV as Hurricanes make 7 changes for Brumbies
The Hurricanes have once again made a raft of changes to their starting side as they prepare to take on the Brumbies in a Saturday afternoon blockbuster in Canberra as part of ANZAC Round.
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After getting the better of the always-tough Fijian Drua with a clinical performance in Suva last time out, the Hurricanes have switched their focus to the team’s 400th Super Rugby match.
Coach Clark Dermody has made seven changes to the run-on side. Xavier Numia, Tyrel Lomax, Caleb Delany, Brayden Iose, Brett Cameron and Ruben Love all return to the First XV.
Peter Umaga-Jensen is also set for his first start of the season after being named at outside centre as a replacement for the Canes’ consistent No. 13 Billy Proctor.
The Hurricanes battled the heat in Suva last week as they overcame a tough Drua outfit in Suva. This time, they’ll need to brace for cold conditions against a hungry Brumbies side.
“I was pleased with our prep for this week, the way the players and management have been able to adapt as we prepare for a new challenge each week,” Laidlaw said in a statement.
The Brumbies are third on the Super Rugby Pacific standings but will be eager to make amends after falling 46-7 in a disastrous defeat to the Blues at Auckland’s Eden Park last weekend.
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Preparing for this challenge, the Canes have gone with the front row trio of Xavier Numia, James O’Reilly and Tyrel Lomax. Caleb Delany and Isaia Walker-Leawere round out the tight five.
Captain Brad Shields partners Du’Plessis Kirifi and Brayden Iose in the loose forwards, while TJ Perenara and Brett Cameron will look to link the forwards and backs as the halves.
Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
Wins
4
Draws
0
Wins
1
Average Points scored
34
27
First try wins
20%
Home team wins
100%
Jordie Barrett will combine with Peter Umaga-Jensen in the midfield, while Salesi Rayasi, Kini Naholo and Ruben Love have been selected as the three outside backs.
As part of this ANZAC Round clash between the capital cities, the Hurricanes will lay a wreath at the New Zealand Memorial in Canberra on Friday.
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“It’s a real honour for us to be invited to lay a wreath there,” Laidlaw explained. “It’s important for us to recognise and remember those lives lost and to continue the legacy of service.”
The Hurricanes highly anticipated meeting with the ACT Brumbies at Canberra’ GIO Stadium will get underway at 4:35 pm NZT on Saturday.
Hurricanes team to take on Brumbies
- Xavier Numia
- James O’Reilly
- Tyrel Lomax
- Caleb Delany
- Isaia Walker-Leawere
- Brad Shields (c)
- Du’Plessis Kirifi
- Brayden Iose
- TJ Perenara
- Brett Cameron
- Salesi Rayasi
- Jordie Barrett
- Peter Umaga-Jensen
- Kini Naholo
- Ruben Love
Replacements
- Raymond Tuputupu
- Tevita Mafileo
- Pasilio Tosi
- Ben Grant
- Peter Lakai
- Richard Judd
- Riley Higgins
- Bailyn Sullivan
Unavailable: Asafo Aumua, Jacob Devery, TK Howden, Cam Roigard, James Tucker
Comments on RugbyPass
*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to comments