RECAP: Hurricanes v Blues
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our coverage of the Super Rugby Round 18 clash between the Hurricanes and Blues at Westpac Stadium.
Read all our Super Rugby previews for the weekend here.
Pride! That is all that is at stake in what is a low-key start to Saturday’s matches. With fourth place on the overall table secured, Hurricanes coach John Plumtree has opted to rest a number of his frontline players.
That includes the front row where props Toby Smith and Jeff Toomaga-Allen have been replaced by Fraser Armstrong and Ross Geldenhuys, while lock James Blackwell, who has started every match, has been given an opportunity to freshen up. The halfback combination is also new – with flyhalf Jackson Garden-Bachop starting outside scrumhalf Richard Judd, while there is also a new look midfield pairing with Danny Toala and Peter Umaga-Jensen combining. Plumtree said he had considerable faith in the entire squad to maintain the form they have reached in recent weeks.
Recent results:
2019: Hurricanes won 22-12, Auckland
2018: Hurricanes won 42-24, Wellington
2018: Hurricanes won 36-15, Auckland
2017: Hurricanes won 28-24, Auckland
2016: Hurricanes won 37-27, Wellington
Prediction: The Hurricanes have won their last eight games on the bounce against the Blues; neither side has previously managed to win nine on the bounce in the history of this fixture. The Blues have won only one of their last eight games in Super Rugby, despite having held the lead at half-time in four of those fixtures. The Hurricanes have won nine turnovers per game this Super Rugby season, more than any other team in the competition. The Blues boast the best scrum success rate (97 percent) on their own feed of any team in Super Rugby 2019 and have lost just one scrum in their last 10 games. Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes) has beaten 62 defenders thus far in Super Rugby 2019, the second most of any player in the competition (Samu Kerevi – 66).
Prediction: Hurricanes
Margin: 13 points
LIVE: Hurricanes v Blues
Kick-off: 19.35 (local time); 07.35 GMT
Teams:
Hurricanes: 15 James Marshall, 14 Ben Lam, 13 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 12 Danny Toala, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Richard Judd, 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 Kane Le’aupepe, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Dane Coles (captain), 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Alex Fidow, 19 Liam Mitchell, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Thomas Perenara, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Jonah Lowe.
Blues: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Caleb Clarke, 13 Tanielu Tele’a, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Otere Black, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson (captain), 6 Dalton Papalii, 5 Scott Scrafton, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 James Parsons, 1 Alex Hodgman.
Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Hisa Sasagi, 18 Lua Li, 19 Tom Robinson, 20 Josh Goodhue, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Ma’a Nonu.
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)