Aisle be Back: Hurricanes v Waratahs

Petone’s Brad Shields and others celebrate Oriental-Rongotai wing Fehi Fineanganofo’s try against Moana Pasifika in their opening game.

• By Kevin McCarthy

What are you planning to do in the next 15 months? If you answer, trying to win a world cup, sorry – that’s gone.

Dave Rennie, new All Blacks coach, also has the tour of South Africa to fit in.

Is that a good thing? Yes, well, the incremental building of new teams and styles of play over four years – or sometimes never – will by necessity be ditched.

Rennie will – and will have to – produce a simple, structured formula for the All Blacks. That is definitely his strength. There won’t be time for fans to be told that a wee tweak will finally get the team firing, ad nauseum. The team will have a blueprint – while the stress will be on lifting skills at the individual players.

We have no idea who he will have as his lieutenants, but we do know that some very recent All Blacks are going to be part of the picture – as players, and presumably mentors. Definitely Brodie Retallick, Aaron Smith. Sam Cane? And Richie Mo’ounga already penciled in.

Are you entertained already? Oh yes. I imagine a fair few current players are as well – wondering if what they have to do to stay in the frame. Play well in Super Rugby, says Rennie.

Bringing back an old guard may fix the humiliating tendency for the All Blacks to fold in key matches if the heat goes on. There’s certainly a vast reservoir of knowledge and leadership there, used judiciously in what would be the last hurrah.

Will this be a side vulnerable to being worked out and predictable? I don’t think that’s what you are looking at here. I mean, the world champions are predictable – they just execute so well that it doesn’t matter most days.

So, we wait for the next chapter of who will be the rest of the coaching team. Surely Jason Ryan will survive? The All Black pack isn’t perfect, but it is demonstrably better because of Ryan.

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Amid all this going on, and a few other events in other spheres, I just haven’t got into the vibe of the early rounds of Super Rugby Pacific.  Plenty of upsets, and it’s a brave man or woman who will predict results confidently across the board.

Still, only round 4. The Hurricanes of course, in a game reminiscent of the 1970s, when chopped up turf and a side serve of rain reduced the match to a bit of a slug fest. Frustrating for the Canes to leak the match-deciding intercept. Yet no-one can ever assume an easy trip to the Drua’s home.

The game of the round has to be the Crusaders visiting Eden Park. The Blues perished, just, at the Canberra graveyard. The Crusaders of course bounced impressively to up-end the Chiefs in Hamilton.

As for the Canes, playing the Waratahs away tonight is going to be a real trial. Remember to tackle Max Jorgensen is my only observation.

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Du Plessis Kirifi makes his return from injury to play the Waratahs, as Brayden Iose starts of the bench.

The fixture also marks a significant milestone for halfback Cam Roigard, who will earn his 50th Hurricanes cap.

The game kicks off tonight at 9.35pm NZT.

HURRICANES TEAM TO PLAY WARATAHS (Hurricanes caps and players’ clubs in brackets)

1. Xavier Numia (78 – Oriental Rongotai)
2. Asafo Aumua (77 – Avalon RFC)
3. Pasilio Tosi (39 – Paremata-Plimmerton)
4. Warner Dearns (2 – Napier Pirates)
5. Isaia Walker-Leawere (80 – Ruatoria City Sports Club)
6. Devan Flanders (58 – Havelock North RFC)
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (93 – Northern United RFC) – co-captain
8. Peter Lakai (39 – Petone RFC)
9. Cam Roigard (49 – Onewhero RFC)
10. Callum Harkin (12 – Old Boys University)
11. Fehi Fineanganofo (14 – Oriental Rongotai)
12. Jordie Barrett (113 – Coastal RFC) – co-captain
13. Billy Proctor (70 – Marist St Pats RFC)
14. Bailyn Sullivan (41 – Wainuiomata)
15. Josh Moorby (40 – Te Awamutu Sport Rugby Club)
16. Jacob Devery (19 – Hastings Rugby & Sports Club)
17. Siale Lauaki (6 – Northern United RFC)
18. Tevita Mafileo (59 – Johnsonville RFC)
19. Brad Shields (130 – Petone RFC)
20. Brayden Iose (53 – Kia Toa RFC)
21. Ereatara Enari (14 – Lincoln University)
22. Lucas Cashmore (1 – Upper Hutt Rams)
23. Jone Rova (2 – Lincoln University)

UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY

Taine Roiri (hamstring): 6 weeks
Jai Tamati (ankle): 7-9 weeks
Brett Cameron (knee): Expected to miss season
Harry Godfrey (knee): Expected to miss season
Ruben Love (ankle): 2-4 weeks
Josh Timu (foot): 5-7 weeks