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Aisle be Back: Hurricanes v Waratahs

Billy Proctor captains the Hurricanes from centre tonight and TJ Perenara starts on the bench, as the Hurricanes hope to fend off the Waratahs challenge. 

  • By Kevin McCarthy

We’re heading to tunnel vision time – when fans get fixated on the final run-in for their teams, understandably.

I’m as tempted as anyone to look at the permutations, particularly as the Hurricanes now very much have the Blues breathing down their necks and the two shape up for the game of the season next weekend at Eden Park.

Appropriately however, there’s  still this weekend to go and last weekend was Anzac. Lest we Forget etc. Or more accurately, it looks like some are forgetting that the Australians have come to play this season.

I mean who doesn’t keep looking at the table and shake their head at the Rebels being fifth. How are they defying gravity and history?

We’re all assuming the Canes will bounce back  tonight and treat the 11th-placed Waratahs as a kangaroo fodder. Of course, that’s what we want to see, and they surely aren’t Brumbies’ class.

And the Blues fans are probably thinking similar of the Rebels, their opponents tonight.

For all their hotness right now – the Blues needed the sort of miracle the Canes needed earlier this season to dispose of the Reds last weekend. Full credit, but it hardly suggests  the Aussie teams are there to make up the numbers.

The numbers incidentally by my quick reckoning  are that 8 of 19 trans-Tasman clashes this season have gone to the Australians, with a couple of their losses very much in squeaky bum territory for the New Zealand victors. Sure, there have been the expected blowouts too – there’s definitely volatility at play. Even  Chiefs grade volatility.

So, as you scan the upcoming fixtures, don’t dismiss that Aussie fixture as a sure thing. Looking at you, Canes fans.

No doubt I will be proved wrong as our cousins get eviscerated, but as the advert once said, Aussies!!?@

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As the social media is flooded with fans desperate to buy a 1997 Legacy jersey (seriously, have you not got enough jerseys …. Not got a wife …. Or not got a job in the Wellington public service), I wonder if the Reds are already locking in their jersey from last weekend as their Legacy Jersey for 2051.

I mean who doesn’t want to wear a potpourri of crimson with a dash of Resene No 28 Cat Vomit. Or should that be Junkyard Dog poopies.

Seriously, who is designing these jerseys – is it an AI bot? Is that unfair to Bots?

And can we not just have the Canes playing a bit more in  the yellow stripe. You know, our legacy colour.

I was idly watching a snatch of some Premiership game the other day and instantly recognised one of them was Arsenal – red body, long white sleeves.

It’s like tradition, or some other out of fashion legacy word.

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I hope you are all waiting breathlessly for the great governance showdown.

At some level we know this is important.

But which bit in this tangled high noon at HQ is important? Who if anyone do we cheer for?

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Changes to the forward pack for tonight’s match against the Waratahas see Pouri Rakete-Stones, Devan Flanders and Peter Lakai come into the starting line-up while Justin Sangster is on the bench. Hawkes Bay’s Kianu Kereru-Symes makes his first start for the team, named at Hooker.

In the backs, Richard Judd starts in the nine jersey with Brett Cameron at 10, while Riley Higgins and Billy Proctor combine in midfield. After two matches off the bench post injury, Bailyn Sullivan starts on the left wing, opposite Josh Moorby with Ruben Love in the boot.

There is considerable firepower from the bench with Du’Plessis Kirifi, TJ Perenara, Jordie Barrett and Salesi Rayasi set for action later in proceedings.

The Hurricanes team to take on the NSW Waratahs tonight at 7:05pm:

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones
2. Kianu Kereru-Symes
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Caleb Delany
5. Isaia Walker-Leawere
6. Devan Flanders
7. Peter Lakai
8. Brayden Iose
9. Richard Judd
10. Brett Cameron
11. Bailyn Sullivan
12. Riley Higgins
13. Billy Proctor (C)
14. Josh Moorby
15. Ruben Love
16. Raymond Tuputupu
17. Xavier Numia
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Justin Sangster
20. Du’Plessis Kirifi
21. TJ Perenara
22. Jordie Barrett
23. Salesi Rayasi

Unavailable for selection:

Asafo Aumua, Jacob Devery, Cam Roigard, James Tucker, James O’Reilly

 

 

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