Heat on the Hurricanes after hooker injuries in Super Rugby Pacific
Rob Valetini of the Brumbies is tackled by Peter Umaga-Jensen of the Hurricanes during the Super Rugby in Canberra, Australia, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Hurricanes face an injury crisis at hooker as they attempt to rebound from their first loss of the season in Super Rugby Pacific when they play the New South Wales Waratahs on Friday.
The Wellington-based Hurricanes have lost all three contracted hookers to injuries in recent weeks. All Blacks hooker Asafa Aumua seriously injured his knee in the Hurricanes’ ninth-round win over the Fijian Drua and his understudy, James O’Reilly, will miss the Waratahs match after suffering a concussion during last weekend’s 27-19 loss to the Canberra-based Brumbies.
Those setbacks followed a long-term injury sustained by third-string hooker Jacob Devery.
Head coach Clark Laidlaw called on veteran All Blacks hooker Dane Coles prior to the Brumbies match, but he also is injured.
Extended squad member Raymond Tuputupu is likely to start at hooker against the Waratahs in what will be just his third Super Rugby match. Kianu Kereru-Symes has been called in as cover after last playing for the Hurricanes in 2022. Another replacement might have to be called on.
The spate of injuries at hooker is exacerbated by the loss of All Blacks scrumhalf Cam Roigard to a season-ending injury. Rogiard’s absence and the loss of his physical game and ability to ignite attack was felt against the Brumbies.
“On the whole our squad has been relatively fit but we’re losing bodies in one or two positions,” assistant coach Tyler Bleyendaal said. “At hooker we’re going to be tested a lot and we have to bring guys in, but otherwise we’re getting enough out of our squad.”
For the first time this season, the Hurricanes will have to prepare for a match on the back of a loss. While the Waratahs are in 11th place with only two wins, they retain an outside chance of making the playoffs and are capable of better performances than their form suggests.
“We’re disappointed. It’s the first time the team has had to reflect on a loss,” Hurricanes backrower DuPlessis Kirifi said. “The side was going into the remainder of the season with challenges and it was an opportunity to dig deeper while reflecting on what they needed to improve on in their remaining games.
“With a loss comes a great chance for us to be better and to look under a few rocks.”
The second-place Blues will travel to Melbourne to face the fifth-place Rebels later Friday, although the match could be overshadowed by the Rebels’ financial problems.
Club creditors will meet about five hours before the scheduled kickoff to vote on whether to back a rescue deal to save the financially stricken team or allow the club to enter liquidation. In his report last week, voluntary administrator Stephen Longley recommended that creditors, including the Australian Tax Office, which is owed 23.1 million Australian dollars ($15 million), accept a proposal by a private investor group, including current directors.
However, even if the proposal is accepted, Rugby Australia, which stepped in to prop up the team until the end of the 2024 season, still has the final say on whether to return the competition license.
Rebels coach Kevin Foote said the club’s staff, including players, were briefed this week about the creditors’ meeting and the possible outcomes.
“It’s not the average week, going into the Blues when you’re discussing this stuff,” Foote said.
Lock Cameron Suafoa has been selected on the bench for the Auckland-based Blues, though he has been undergoing radiation treatment after a cancerous tumor was discovered in his back last November.
Suafoa said in a recent video message his cancer treatment had made him more determined to succeed.
“In my mind if I let this bog me down and I keep thinking about it, it’s just not going to help me move forward,” he said. “I don’t want to be stuck saying ‘why me’ all the time. If I can pull something positive out of this (I) come back fitter and stronger and hopefully then aim to pick up where I left off.”
The third-place Brumbies will play the Fijian Drua on Saturday and the Hamilton-based Chiefs will play Western Force. The Christchurch-based Crusaders will try to build on last week’s win over the Rebels when they play the Queensland Reds on Saturday.
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