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Super 14 Preview - Hurricanes |
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Written by Gibbit
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Tuesday, 23 January 2007 |
 Last year’s finalists will be lucky to make it back there this year with the
Canes having a rough start to the season until the cavalry arrive.
The Canes have lost the important trio of Weepu, Collins and So’oialo for
the first 7 weeks. Add Eaton, Masoe and Seal Shooter and you’ve got a pretty
influential ‘rested 6’. Throw in the temperamental calf muscles of Neemia
Tialata and you have side that will be hoping and preying that the injury bug
avoids them, which has as much chance of happening as being able to avoid
Snoopy’s Christmas during December.
-Umaga, Conrad, Nonu, Tito, Upton and Tialaata will be the players relied
upon to keep the Canes competitive. The midfield is still stacked with aces but
that doesn't mean a thing if the inexperienced forward pack can't get any usable
ball.
The Draw:
1- @Reds, Brisbane 10:40 pm
2- @Chiefs, Hamilton 7:35 pm
3- Blues 7:35 pm
4- Brumbies, 7:35 pm
5- Stormers, Palmerston North 7:05 pm
6- @ Force, Perth 12:45 am
7- @ Sharks, Durban, SA 5:10 am
8- @ Lions, Johannesburg 5:10 am
9- Bulls 5:30 pm
10- Bye
11- Cheetahs 7:35 pm
12- @ Crusaders, Christchurch 7:35 pm
13- Highlanders7:35 pm
14- Waratahs 7:35 pm
The season kicks off in the sauna that is Brisbane in Early February, but
the Reds are light on talent and the Cane’s should start the season with a win.
Week’s 2 to 4 are tough opponents and they Canes could find themselves off
to a 1 and 3 start meaning the whole season could be hanging in the balance by
week 5’s Stormers game.
The real kick in the nuts for the Canes is that their ‘protected players’
will return in week 8 which is right in the middle of the Hurricane’s Perth to
Durban to Johannesburg and back to Wellington road trip.
The Hurricane’s round 9 opponents are the Bulls in Wellington. If the
Lions are as shithouse as last year the Canes coaching staff may feel it is a
better option to leave the rested 6 at home for Victor and co since that flight
back from South Africa kills most teams.
The Hurricanes also extend a season long middle finger to Taranaki and
Hawkes Bay by basing all of their home games bar one at the CakeTin.
The Replacements:
Bernie Upton- Local kid
with a mean streak comes home to start at lock.
Tone Kopelani -
Canterbury bench warmer heads north in search of minutes and should get the
starting 2 jersey for the first 6 weeks. A make or break move for him.
Brad Mika - A beast of
guy but Gravity is his kryptonite. His athleticism around the field and bulk at
scrum time will be a welcome addition to the Hurricanes pack.
Chris Smylie- An
excellent pick up out of the draft if he can rekindle his form of 05, obviously
Greg Cooper doesn't think he can.
Nili Latu- The Tasmanian
Devil of flankers should start in 7 until Masoe gets back. Does everything at
1000 miles an hour and his 'yellow card waiting to happen' routine will keep
some starch in the pack
Haydyn Hopgood-Skilled 7,
not a huge physical presence but very accurate and gutsy. Hopgood might get the
7 if Latu's penalty count climbs too high.
Blair Stewart-Smallish
but solid. Stewart is another out of the Canterbury 1st 5/8 factory. Has good
tactical kicking and likes to set up ball runners by across field with the ball
in 2 hands.But is he better than Gopperth?
David Smith-Made a huge
impression at IRANz and the Auckland NPC last year. He isn't very tall but is
one of those 'low center of gravity' guys with out and out pace.
Hayden Triggs- Big Mean
Dude from Manawatu who plays at lock or as a 2meter tall flanker. He has been a
force for Manawatu and the Divisional XV over recent years. I’ve always had
fairly big raps on him but will be interested to see if he is able to step up to
Super 14.
Outlook:
Tialaata and Schwalger are fine props to start a game with, but Tony Penn
and Tim Fairbrother haven't shown anything over the last 3 years to make you
confident of the Hurricane's propping depth. The Canes are bleesed with depth at
lock but the loosies are one of those 'Could be good but Could be shit' areas.
The scrum could remain an Achilles heel, as could 1st 5 if Gopperth and Stewart
both struggle.
I would expect the Hurricanes to return to the tactics of a couple of
years ago and try to quickly spread any ball they get to the guns out wide
...which should lead to a middle of the table finish.
The Hurricanes may end up as the late season spoiler team for sides with finals
ambitions like the Waratahs or maybe the Highlanders.
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