Hurricanes hope vice-captaincy takes All Black Asafo Aumua ‘to another level’

Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw has named Asafo Aumua as one of the team’s two vice-captains for 2024 in the hope it will take the hooker “to another level” by potentially seeing him push for higher honours with a return to the All Blacks setup.

Aumua, 26, has undeniable gifts as a rugby player. But after bursting onto the scene with the New Zealand U20s and Wellington Lions, Aumua hasn’t quite taken that next step as a consistently high performer at Super Rugby level.

The Wellington-born talent debuted for the All Blacks in 2020 against the Wallabies in Brisbane, but he’s failed to become a Test regular in the years since. But Aumua has a chance.

With All Blacks veteran Dane Coles leaving both the Hurricanes and New Zealand rugby last year, there’s an opportunity for Aumua to step up and shine. It’s there for him if he’s good enough.

In a major boost, the Hurricanes have named the hooker as a vice-captain along with Jordie Barrett in the hope that Aumua can push for “Test match rugby” in 2024.

“Obviously, when you pick leaders, you hope it will enhance their game,” head coach Clark Laidlaw told reporters. “Asafo and Jordie are good examples, where you’re trying to grow them and take them to another level.

“Part of that, we think, is having a leadership role within the team. Asafo has had an injury-plagued few years.

“He’s had his first pre-season since 2019 and he’s fully on fire in pre-season. We think giving him the (vice) captaincy can help grow his game.

“He now needs to role-model what he wants the team to look like and it allows me to push him hard, push Jordie to keep improving. If he does that, he’ll get that consistency in his game, which we’re all craving, including him.

“That’s going to give him far more starts, more wins for us and, if he’s good enough, potentially Test match rugby.”

Along with the announcement that Asafo Aumua and Jordie Barrett will serve as vice-captains this year, new recruit Brad Shields has been handed the role of skipper in Ardie Savea’s absence.

Shields, who hasn’t played for the Hurricanes since 2017, has returned to New Zealand’s shores following a stint in Europe which included a run of Test matches for England.

While Shields recently told RugbyPass that the captaincy wasn’t “something I’ve put much thought into,” the Hurricanes coaches have clearly thought otherwise ahead of the new campaign.

“Actions. Always by actions is how I like to lead,” Shields said after being named the Hurricanes captain for 2024.

“I really want to challenge our environment because challenge always brings better performances. We’ve got a really young team this season so anywhere I can help and encourage and bring the best out of some of the young guys, and the players who have been here for a while, is what I aim for.

“The one thing that’s massive for us at the Hurricanes is connection within our community. Ultimately, we’ve got to play good rugby and perform really well if we want bums on seats, but it certainly means a lot to know we’ve got our community behind us, and we’ll do everything we can to give them a good service and make 2024 an exciting and enjoyable season to watch.”

The Hurricanes will get their 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season underway away to the Western Force in Perth.