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Hurricanes' hooker woes worsen with Tuputupu suspension
By Ned Lester
The Hurricanes will be without hooker Raymond Tuputupu for three weeks following a foul play review committee's ruling on Wednesday.
The suspension rules the 21-year-old out of both of the Hurricanes' confirmed upcoming contests - round 15 against the Highlanders and the quarter-final against an opponent yet to be decided - as well as a potential semi-final fixture.
Should the Hurricanes make the final, the youngster will be available.
Having enjoyed a promotion to the starting unit since All Blacks Asafo Aumua's injury, Tuputupu's impending absence strikes another blow to the Hurricanes after the departure of club icon Dane Coles following last year's Rugby World Cup.
Tuputupu was handed a red card for his tackle attempt on the Chiefs' Tupou Vaa'i in the sixth minute. That decision was upheld by the foul play review committee.
“In the FPRC’s view, no sudden or significant change in height or direction, a late change in dynamics (or any other relevant mitigating factor set out within the head contact process) to result in mitigation sufficient to downgrade the incident to a yellow card.”
An early guilty plea, as well as Tuputupu's prior record and expression of remorse, mitigated the ban down from the mid-range entry point of six weeks.
Despite the 20-minute red card, the Hurricanes stoically wrestled momentum in their favour for the first time in the contest while down a man, even claiming the first points of the game through a linebreak from Tuputupu's explosive front-row partner Xavier Numia.
Even with another yellow car later in the game to winger Kini Naholo, the Hurricanes went on to win the derby and draw even with the Blues at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table, with a chance to claim the top seed this weekend against the Highlanders.
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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