SQUAD

Luke Andrews
Position:  Lock/Flanker  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.97m  Weight:  105kg  Birthdate:  16.01.76|
One of the more athletic locks on the New Zealand scene, and one of the better ones too, certainly not far off international level, and if he was a year or two younger, you just don't know.  Fantastic in the air at lineout time and kickoffs, he also gets through a lose forwards quota of tackling.  Will be an interesting battle this year for the second row at the Hurricanes, with Eaton, Tito and Andrews vying for the two spots.

Jerry Collins
Position:  Loose Forward  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.90m  Weight:  103kg  Birthdate:  04.11.80
Must be pretty close to being the best six man in the world at the moment.  Devastating tackler, as we all know, and now a genuine danger with the ball in hand on attack, after being asked to find that skill by the Henry Cartel 18 or so months ago.  Still a brute in contact situations when hitting the line, but the slipping of the pass makes him a  much more dangerous player.  One weak point is his fixation with thinking that he is Hugo Porta, and trying to kick the ball all the time!!

Jason Eaton
Position:  Lock  Province:  Taranaki
Height:  2.02m  Weight:  107kg  Birthdate:  21.08.82
The All Black tourist with a heap to prove.  Looked a little out of his depth when coming on in the white hot atmosphere of the English test, but other than that, seemed to fit into the All Black jersey with ease.  Will now need to prove himself week in and week out at Super level.  Is skilled around the field and at his core duty of lineouts, but still needs a few extra kilos on his frame.  Tackles and carries the ball skillfully too.

Tamiti Ellison
Position:  Utility Back  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.84m  Weight:  96kg  Birthdate:  01.04.83
A bit of an unknown, a few games for Wellington thus far, and in the Kiwi age grade teams, but from the people 'in the know' has been rated quite highly.  We'll see.  I remember talking about a bloke called Piri Weepu like this a couple of seasons back now, and lok how far that young lad has come!

Lome Fa’atau
Position:  Wing  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.83m  Weight:  89kg  Birthdate:  23.10.75
Still bloody fast, and still with hands like feet!  But if you put the ball in the right place, half a years start, the flying Fa'atau will put the five points on the board every time.

Tim Fairbrother
Position:  Prop  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.82 m  Weight:  118kg  Birthdate:  12.03.8
After looking to have the goods to go on and become an All Black a season or two back, he has stagnated, and been passed in the Wellington pecking order, let alone at higher level.  Will need to look less like an eating machine, and more like a scrumming machine this season. 

Hosea Gear
Position:  Wing  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.88m  Weight:  98kg  Birthdate:  16.03.84
His second year at Super rugby level, he will be hoping to get more starts this time around, to showcase his undoubted skills.  All round probably as good as his brother in the skills department, just needs to get games and confidence under his belt.

Jimmy Gopperth
Position:  First Five  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.79m  Weight:  87kg  Birthdate:  29.06.83
Will have to be on the top of his game, and keep improving if he wants to retain his starting spot of last season.  The Return of veteran David Holwell to the colours, along with the emergence of the precocious talent Tamiti Ellison, will put the pressure on him to perform.  This hopefully will be just what he needs to lift his game to the next level.  A sharp runner, with an eye for a gap, Gopperth keeps opposing defensive lines honest

Brendan Haami
Position:  Halfback  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.75m  Weight:  77kg  Birthdate:  04.12.74
Back from the dead!  The veteran Taranaki scrummy clawed his way back into contention with some handy performances for Wellington in the NPC.  Little bloke should expect bugger all game time behind All Black Weepu, and I am sure the Hurricane fans would be happy with that!

David Holwell
Position:  First Five  Province:  Northland
Height:  1.78m  Weight:  83kg  Birthdate:  07.01.75
Back from his Northern hemisphere jaunt, and straight back into his old colours.  However, will have to fight for his old jersey against the well performed Jimmy Gopperth,  Should bring the best out of both players.  Holwell the better kicking game of the two, and probably the better defencer too.

Andrew Hore
Position:  Hooker  Province:  Taranaki
Height:  1.83m  Weight:  110kg  Birthdate:  13.09.78
Needs to lead the Hurricanes tight five from the front, starting at scrum time, if he wants to remain in contention for All Black honours next season.  One of the better ball runners in close quarter traffic around the ruck and maul, he needs to back this up with solid scrum work, the only part of his game that has been lacking in the past.

Ross Kennedy
Position:  Lock  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.98m  Weight:  112kg  Birthdate:  25.09.82
Has fallen well off the pace after bursting on the scene a few seasons back, and being touted by many as a future All Black.  Needs to get himself back into the starting lineup for the Hurricanes, and work from there.  Skilled in all facets of lock play, he has it all there for the taking, just needs to get the top two inches sorted one would think.

Serge Lilo
Position:  Flanker  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.83m  Weight:  97kg  Birthdate:  03.04.85
A fast flanker.  Perhaps, I don't really bloody know to tell the truth!  Should get a bit of field time behind Masoe now that Herring is gone, injured for the season.

Luke Mahoney
Position:  Hooker  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.80m  Weight:  104kg  Birthdate:  05.01.80
Journeyman hooker in his first season at this level.  Hurriacnes hookers will be hoping for no major injuries to Hore during the season.

Chris Masoe
Position:  Flanker/8  Province:  Taranaki
Height:  1.88m  Weight:  100kg  Birthdate:  15.05.79
The number two openside flanker in New Zealand.  Now gets the chance to cement that position.  He can only get better, as he will now be specialising there after spending time in all three loose forward positions, in equal amounts, over the past few seasons for both the Hurricanes and Taranaki.  So look out world!

Joe McDonnell
Position:  Prop  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.79m  Weight:  115kg  Birthdate:  01.03.71
An injury put him out of the NPC early days, so McDonnell will be refreshed and ready to go in this seasons Super 14.  If the Hurricanes play Tialata constantly at TH, then little Joey should get the nod in the one shirt for the season.  Not a destructive scrummager, he holds his own at scrum time, but it is in the loose where his real value to a team comes to the fore.  Always breaks the advantage line with ball in hand, or seems to anyway, and gets the forward roll that the Hurricanes rely on for so much of their play.

Ma’a Nonu
Position:  Midfield  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.83m  Weight:  101kg  Birthdate:  21.05.82
Centre, second five, wing...???  Wherever the human torpedo plays, there will be equal measure of excitement and head clasping, as he steamrolls through defenders, before losing the ball while trying to make the pass with five tacklers hanging off him.  If he can continue the first part of that equation, while reducing the second to manageable levels, there is a vacated All Black 13 jersey beckoning.

Shannon Paku
Position:  fullback / wing Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.82m  Weight:  98kg  Birthdate:  23.09.80
Seems to have been around forever now, and has never really done anything.  Expect more of the same.

John Schwalger
Position:  Prop  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.87m  Weight:  118g  Birthdate:  28.09.83
Big brother (size wise at least) to Wellington hooker Mo'.  Has a good NPC season with Wellington, displacing Fairbrother in the starting lineup.  A decent ball carrier without setting the world on fire - as with his scrummaging, good, but not going to feed someone their own intestines for fun, as some props seem to be able to do.

Conrad Smith
Position:  Centre  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.86m  Weight:  95kg  Birthdate:  12.10.81
Bigger, stronger, faster, and will be vying with Nonu for the 13 jersey, and the inside running for the All Black 13 jersey from there on in.  Smith has gained almost ten kilos since starting out in the professional ranks, and looks a better player for it. Still glides through gaps and gets through a ton of work backing up the ball carrier.  Defence not the killing Umaga / Collins standard, but he brings his man down every time with well executed tackles.

Rodney So’oialo
Position:  Loose Forward  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.90m  Weight:  105kg  Birthdate:  03.10.79
Has been performing well in tandem with jerry Collins for quite a few seasons now, and now at three levels, provincial, super, and test level.  Funny though, in the early days, Collins was packing down at eight, and So'oialo at six.  They both now seem to have found their rightful spots, and have excelled ever since.  Not a show pony eight like many seem to be, So'oialo gets through the work required in a no nonsense workmanlike manner.  No slug around the field either, there have been a few backs embarrassed by his pace as he crosses the field in cover defence!

Neemia Tialata
Position:  Prop Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.80m  Weight:  125kg  Birthdate:  15.07.82
Broke into the All Blacks on the back of some solid NPC performances.  Still a rookie at that level, as was seen against the English, but certainly has all the physical attributes to succeed.  Should start dominating at Super 14 level now, at either tighthead or loosehead if he wants to remain in the race for a test spot.  A better LH than a TH, he still needs to keep playing both sides, as it is this versatility that has earned him an All Black jersey.  Powerful with ball in hand, a hard man to stop once he gets the 125kg rumbling along, which he can do at quite a pace, so long as he doesn't blow out those troublesome calf muscles in doping so!

Paul Tito
Position:  Lock  Province:  Taranaki
Height:  1.98m  Weight:  112kg  Birthdate:  09.06.78
The big moppy haired Ginga has been a fixture in the Hurricanes pack over the last five or so seasons, but will have a real challenge this season from the well performed duo of Eaton and Andrews, and the wanting to re-prove himself Ross Kennedy.  Should bring the best out of the Taranaki captain, as these situations usually do for the Mountain Men.  Not the tallest, not the heaviest, but up there with the biggest hearted locks in New Zealand.  Good hands in the air, and mobile enough to have flirted with flanker a year or two back with Taranaki.

Isaia Toeava
Position:  Utility Back  Province:  Auckland
Height:  1.81m  Weight:  92kg  Birthdate:  15.01.86
Hmmmm, he toured with the All Blacks, and looked like a 19 year old playing in his first international.  Some nice touches, but looked like he hadn't played any rugby for a month, and he hadn't.  One start for Auckland in last seasons NPC, and he carved up by all accounts against Northland.  But then, who didn't?  So, tons to prove, and a Super stage to prove it on.  Has been compared to a young Cullen, and I am sure Hurricanes fans will love it if he can live up to that!

Tane Tu’ipulotu
Position:  Midfield  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.83m  Weight:  99kg  Birthdate:  07.02.81
Most other franchises would kill to have the skilled Tu'ipulotu playing for them, but he seems to be satisfied sitting on the bench, and being a dirty dirty for the Hurricanes.  Stuck behind Nanu, Umaga and Smith before he even gets s sniff of starting.  A gifted player, with the same upright running style as John Schuster used to display for Wellington in years past.  Elusive, glides into gaps, and puts nice players into gaps nicely - when he is on the field that is!

Tana Umaga
Position:  Midfield  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.87m  Weight:  102kg  Birthdate:  27.05.73
The Hurricanes should get the best out of the internationally retired Umaga now - no rests for the hard hitting centre.  Playing at either twelve or thirteen, he'll be a handful for opposing attacks and defences.  Not captaining the side either, so that will be another load of his shoulders, so expect big things in what could be a final season for the great one, although he is contracted to the NZRU through to the end of 2007!

Thomas Waldrom
Position:  Loose forward  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.84m  Weight:  102kg  Birthdate:  28.04.83
Thomas the Tank Engine will once again languish on the bench or not even in the match day 22, behind three All Blacks in the loose for the Hurricanes.  Still looks like he should be propping the scrum, not running around in the loose, but he is fast, and skilled, and a bloody good loose forward all the same.

Piri Weepu
Position:  Halfback  Province:  Wellington
Height:  1.78m  Weight:  93kg  Birthdate:  07.09.83
Could be a landmark season for the nuggety Wellington halfback, with just one injury prone Byron Kelleher between him and the starting All BLack number nine jersey.  Posses all the skills that a modern halfback requires, and adds in the bolshy running game of a loose forward, and the kicking game of a first receiver.  Also slots goals when required.

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