The Hurricanes masterstroke selection that proved pivotal in dismantling the Crusaders
The Hurricanes were questioned in the lead-up to their Crusaders clash with the decision to rotate in-form Kobus Van Wyk for Wes Goosen.
The club publicly insisted it had nothing to do with Van Wyk committing to English Premiership club Leicester Tigers. Coach Jason Holland responded saying it was a tactical decision.
“We’ve had a plan around our back three and midfielders, and the best way to beat the Crusaders, we reckon, is to have Wes on the wing,” he said before the game.
Speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Podcast, Blues hooker James Parsons and Chiefs halfback Brad Weber may have uncovered the reason for the switch, as part of a plan to diffuse the Crusaders kicking game.
“He’s [Goosen] pretty good under the high ball, and the Crusaders like that box kick, and they love those sort of short box kicks for Bridgey to chase and compete,” Parsons explained.
“It’s an area we [the Blues] struggled against them with. With Wes there, he’s solid and then Jordie as well, it was probably a decision around what they were going to face from the Crusaders.
Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall box kicked all night but Jordie Barrett was able to win nearly every aerial contest thrown his way in a clinical performance.
The Hurricanes finished with a contestable kick rate of 67% compared to the Crusaders 42%.
The decision to swap the finishing skills of Van Wyk for Wes Goosen also did not disappoint, with Goosen scoring two tries from the two opportunities that came his way, vindicating Holland’s selection masterstroke.
“In the end, if you look at the stats, it’s quite surprising, the Crusaders kicked less than the Hurricanes,” Parsons highlighted.
“Against the Chiefs, they kicked 42 times and against us [Blues] it was 36. The only kicked 20 times in the loss to the Hurricanes.
“I don’t think they managed to get their usual systems and game plan running.”
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The Hurricanes were aided by a messy Crusaders line out which Parsons says he doesn’t think he has seen in a long time. The Crusaders completed just 50% of their line out throws, while the Hurricanes finished with a respectable 83%.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a Crusaders line out struggle like this for a long time.”
He highlighted the absence of Scott Barrett to injury and the loss of one of the best jumping Number 8’s in the world in Kieran Read as reasons for losing some of their continuity at the set-piece platform.
“They normally just piggyback those penalties, go to the corner, go to the maul, and that’s how they have got out of trouble in the past.
Chiefs halfback Brad Weber was impressed by the Hurricanes approach which his side will try to replicate to avoid eight straight losses when they face them this weekend.
“If you can get stuck into them up front, bring a bit of niggle, they certainly don’t seem to like that. Then you can upset them in other areas.
“You could see they were really frustrated at times throughout the game. Case in point, that last wee dust up with things boiling over.
“You slowly frustrate the Crusaders and you are a chance of beating them. The Hurricanes really took it to them, they played without fear, got stuck in.
Listen to the full episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below.
Comments on RugbyPass
To 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.
26 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
26 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
48 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
26 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.
26 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. 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.
26 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.
26 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.
1 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.
26 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 commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments