Hurricanes side to take on the Brumbies

Feb 25 • General News, Super Rugby • 1142 Views • Comments Off on Hurricanes side to take on the Brumbies

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Former New Zealand schools star Ngani Laumape and Vince Aso will form an exciting young midfield when the Hurricanes kick off their 2016 Investec Super Rugby season against the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.

Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has named a powerful line up to take on the Brumbies with blindside Brad Shields returning from a foot injury to join No 8 Victor Vito and openside Ardie Savea in the loose trio.

Shields is the only change to the side that started last Saturday’s 74-7 preseason win over the Crusaders in Blenheim.

Laumape, 22, and Vince Aso, 21 get the nod in the hotly contested midfield, stepping into the shoes of Hurricanes greats Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith, with Willis Halaholo providing back up from the reserves.

Nonu and Smith were a big part of the Hurricanes run to the regular season title in 2015, but coach Chris Boyd has been thrilled with the way his new combinations have put their hands up during the preseason.

Laumape, a former New Zealand Warriors player in the NRL, has put in some eye-catching performances during the preseason, and has similarly physical attributes to Nonu, a player he looked up to in his youth.

Aso takes a more senior role in the team after learning from Nonu and Smith last year during his first year of Super Rugby.

The young midfield partners will be two of five players making their Hurricanes debut in Canberra along with reserves, hooker Leni Apisai, 19, prop Loni Uhila and former Blues halfback Jamison Gibson-Park.

The team will be captained by halfback TJ Perenara after season skipper Dane Coles withdrew from the team on Thursday with a calf strain.

Apisai takes Coles’ place at hooker with South African born Ricky Riccitelli coming into the reserves.

Perenara will become the 16th player to captain the Hurricanes and just the second after Jon Preston to do so in the No 9 jersey.

Last time the Hurricanes and Brumbies sides met was in the 2015 Investec Super Rugby semi-final in Wellington where the home side won 29-9 to end a five year losing streak against the men from Canberra.

The rivalry between the two sides is traditionally tough and they have split their last ten matches five wins each.

Boyd said he was satisfied his side were in a good space after riding through some injury disruptions during the preseason.

“There are still a couple of guys on the sidelines, but I’m more than happy with the squad we will run out against the Brumbies.

“The guys have put in some hard yards over the preseason and they’ve worked very hard. A lot of the guys put their hands up against the Crusaders last week in Blenheim, but we know that won’t count for much if we can’t carry that momentum into the season proper.”

Utility back James Marshall was the only fit player unavailable for the first match of the season after choosing to stay in New Zealand with his wife for the pending arrival of their first child.

The Hurricanes squad to play the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday, February 26 is:

15 Nehe Milner-Skudder
14 Cory Jane
13 Vince Aso
12 Ngani Laumape
11 Julian Savea
10 Beauden Barrett
9 TJ Perenara (C)
8 Victor Vito
7 Ardie Savea
6 Brad Shields
5 Mark Abbott
4 Blade Thomson
3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen
2 Leni Apisai
1 Reggie Goodes

Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Chris Eves, Loni Uhila, Vaea Fifita, Callum Gibbins, Jamison Gibson-Park, Otere Black, Willis Halaholo.

Unavailable due to injury: Matt Proctor (knee), Motu Matu’u (calf), Ben May (shoulder), James Blackwell (foot), Dane Coles (calf).