Hurricanes lose two playmakers ahead of season opener against the Reds
The Hurricanes have been dealt an early season blow to their playmaking stocks after losing fullback Ruben Love and returning five-eighth Brett Cameron to injuries ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Fullback Love, tipped by head coach Jason Holland recently to be one of many All Blacks bolters in 2023, will miss the start of the season with an ongoing groin issue picked up in the pre-season.
Former Crusader and one cap All Black Brett Cameron has been sidelined after a calf tear suffered against the Blues in a pre-season fixture. Both will miss the early season trip to Australia to face the Reds and Rebels.
Young first five Aidan Morgan looks set to start at No 10 after 10 caps for the side in 2022 in his first season of Super Rugby while Josh Moorby and U20 graduate Harry Godfrey will be vying for the 15 jersey.
The other option for head coach Jason Holland is to rely on Jordie Barrett to fill in at the back if there are stronger options in the midfield, with Barrett bringing plenty of experience to the fullback role.
Holland back his younger options to fulfil their duties after helping the team recover from a 26-6 deficit against the Crusaders to storm home 31-26 in their final pre-season fixture.
“It’s obviously not ideal losing two 10s. Rubes hasn’t trained with us much, so that’s a blow but losing BC who has done a lot of our pre-season is also a blow around combinations and confidence in each other," Holland told Stuff.co.nz.
“Aids and Harry have been around the whole time and I think both of them are really starting to understand our game.”
The Hurricanes travel to Townsville to take on the Queensland Reds in the opening round of Super Rugby Pacific this weekend.
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Even our NZ friends will have to admit that you need a flyhalf that converts his kicks in big test matches, irrespective of you play an expansive game. Carter was a wonderful goal kicker and many forget that. Pollard is a superb big match goal kicker but he is ageing fast and is a shadow of his former self. Libbock is a magnificent playmaker but he does not have big match temperament. And he has a problem with his kicks. He has a glaring problem with his technique. I would blood Sacha now. Let him run the show and learn from his mistakes. He is a brilliant rugby player but he might make a mistake here and there. With Sacha at flyhalf you would see a whole different De Allende next to him. Pollard was younger than him when he was selected for the Boks the first time. Pollard on the bench to close out big matches. Like a closing pitcher in baseball. If Libbock sorts out his goal kicking it changes the whole issue.
Go to commentsI hope Scooters injury mends well before the Bokkes away games…while I expect Los Pumas to offer some moderate opposition..it gives the AB's some breathing space for Darry or whoever is picked to get more valuable first grade game time experience..
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