Coach Jason Holland has urged his Hurricanes to rise above the Force’s niggle and physicality to earn a third successive bonus point win, as he welcomes back talisman Ardie Savea and rests two other frontliners.
Savea will trot onto Napier’s McLean Park in jersey 20 on Friday night, for his first match in seven weeks since he hobbled off Sky Stadium with a left knee injury during the loss to the Crusaders on April 11.
Amid six changes to the run-on side who beat the Rebels 35-13, hooker Dane Coles and wing Julian Savea get the weekend off for two high quality replacements – Asafo Aumua and Salesi Rayasi – while blindside flanker Reed Prinsep becomes the 20th Hurricanes skipper.
The regular captain for 2021, All Blacks loose forward Savea made a strong recovery after he forecast a 6-8 week period on the sidelines, returning one week earlier than the Hurricanes’ official target of the Brumbies in Canberra next Saturday.
“He’s going really well. We’ve always had that plan around the Brumbies, and he’s always going to push it and do everything he possibly can,” Holland said.
“We had some strict things he had to get through in the last couple of weeks and he just keeps ticking the boxes. He’s definitely good to go, he’ll play a good part of the game.”
In other changes from the patchy five tries to two victory over the Rebels, centre Peter Umaga-Jensen returns for Billy Proctor and halfback Luke Campbell reclaims No 9 from Jonathan Taumateine.
Up front, Hawke’s Bay man Gareth Evans makes his first start since June last year against the Blues when he replaces fellow Magpie Devan Flanders at No 8, while lock Isaia Walker-Leawere also gets a start on home turf for James Blackwell.
First five-eighth Orbyn Leger retains No 10 with Ruben Love ruled out with a shoulder injury, suffered in that sickening early collision against the Waratahs. Love was cleared of concussion symptoms this week but his shoulder wasn’t quite ready.
Said Holland of the other selection tweaks, in the rest and rotation category: “We’ve continued on with our trend, that we feel anyone in our squad can nail what we’re trying to do.”
Fullback Jordie Barrett is the only Hurricane to start all 10 matches this year, after France-bound Ngani Laumape was excused the Sydney trip to freshen up.
“We’ve looked to release Jordie over the last 15 minutes of the last couple of games. It’s definitely something we’re aware of.
“He’s a bit of a greyhound, in that he wants to keep going, and he goes pretty well. We’ll keep being smart about it.”
The Hurricanes and Blues are the only two New Zealand sides with maximum points from two Super Rugby Trans-Tasman matches, but they need to keep banking them in the race for top-two spots with the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders all one behind.
With former All Blacks and Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush in their ranks, the Force landed in Napier on Tuesday after the long haul from Perth and two narrow defeats at home.
They lost 20-19 to the Chiefs and 25-15 to the Highlanders, denying both a bonus point for scoring three tries more than their rivals.
Asked if a win without a bonus point was like a loss for the New Zealand sides, Holland said: “We’ve got a positive mindset around whether we kick for goal or not, but against this Force side who will bring niggle and will be into everything, if we go out there thinking we’re going to get a bonus point we’re getting ourselves in trouble. We need to nail the little things to win the game first.
“There’s nothing too flashy [about the Force] but they’re really good at the little things: they’ve got awesome lineout D [defence] and Thrushy is going pretty well there.
“They’ve got some experienced old heads who understand what big moments are like. They do the simple things well and they bring a hell of a lot of physicality and intent.”
AT A GLANCE
Hurricanes to play the Force: Jordie Barrett, Wes Goosen, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Ngani Laumape, Salesi Rayasi, Orbyn Leger, Luke Campbell, Gareth Evans, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep (captain), Scott Scrafton, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia. Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Alex Fidow, James Blackwell, Ardie Savea, Cam Roigard, Billy Proctor, Vince Aso.
