Stormers v Hurricanes (Round 1)

[Canes4life]

Are the coaches trying to pick the most plodder pack we’ve ever seen. Armstrong, Riccitelli, Blackwell, Scrafton and Prinsep all have no X-factor. I suppose as long as they provide good pill we should be able to create enough in the backs.

A bit ho hum this team. Where the f@$k is Walker-Leawere? He was our best lock last year, and Fidow?

Also surprised to see Proctor get the nod at centre.

[Canes4life]

@Higgins i’d say Fifita is reserve lock for this game. Flanders has a good opportunity to make a statement off the bench.

[OomPB]

Herschel Jantjies big test this match. Stormers had the new Bok coach helping with their defense this week. Will be tested on saturday. Summer only arrived today, so the 15h00 kick off will be interesting.

Stormers pack will be massive. Hope the Paul Roos pair can provide magic behind them.

[Tim]

Jeez that Hurricanes pack looks average. Without Perenara on the field they will struggle.

[Tim]

TAB odds:

Stormers
1.69

Hurricanes
2.18

[Winger]

@Canes4life

Agree. I was hoping to see the back of Princep and Blackwell except with injuries. Armstrong and Riccitelli I can understand.

But Barrett and Perenara would have been better in the reserves. Maybe the coaches know what they are doing but based on this team it points in the opposite direction. That the Canes are now coached by fools who haven't a clue.

Edit. The back line though looks good. And no Tiatia thankfully. Maybe they plan to play Perenara and Barrett 60 minutes in the first 3 games (rather than 40+60+80).

But the forward selections is a concern. Gibbes seeme to love Plodders as much as Plumtree

[OomPB]

Stormers

15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Rikus Pretorius

Bolded: International players

[OomPB]

I would prefer Meihuizen (aerial) to have started with youngster Moerat. (JD Schickerling & Cobus Wiese is still injured) The bench 6-2 split is also surprising, van Rhyn can cover lock aswell. Hurricanes vs Stormers is always a tight game.

[macandcheese]

Boy is the Hurricanes front 5 putrid

Unless TJP, Laumape or Joride B play great,. Stormers are going to crush Canes up front

Stormers have best pack in Super Rugby this year

They should beat Canes though best time to travel is early in season

Canes by 2 points

[macandcheese]

@OomPB

I like the 6-2 split

Makes alot of sense for Stormers when you have Willemse & Leyds who can interchange btw 10 & 15

Stormers are not messing around - look to dominate against a weak Tight 5

[mikey07]

Hurricanes name strong All Blacks core for Super Rugby season opener

The Hurricanes have put their faith in Fletcher Smith to replace Beauden Barrett as their side is named to face the Stormers in their Super Rugby season opener on Sunday morning.

Smith, 24, has been named to start at first-five for the Hurricanes in Cape Town, beating competition from Jackson Garden-Bachop, named on the bench, and veteran James Marshall.
Elsehwere, TJ Perenara captains the side in Dane Coles' absence, the pair sharing leadership duties this season. Ricky Riccitelli starts in the front row in Coles' place.
All Blacks duo Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape both start at fullback and second-five respectively, while impressive 20-year-old Billy Proctor will play at centre after impressing for Wellington in last year's Mitre 10 Cup.

In the forwards, Scott Scrafton and one-Test All Black Tyrel Lomax will both make their Hurricanes debuts.
The Hurricanes claimed victory in their last visit to Newlands, leaving with a 34-28 victory.
Hurricanes: 15. Jordie Barrett, 14. Wes Goosen, 13. Billy Proctor, 12. Ngani Laumape, 11. Ben Lam, 10. Fletcher Smith, 9. TJ Perenara (c), 8. Gareth Evans, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 6. Reed Prinsep, 5. Scott Scrafton, 4. James Blackwell, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 1. Fraser Armstrong.
Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18. Tevita Mafileo, 19. Vaea Fifita, 20. Devan Flanders, 21. Jamie Booth, 22. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23. Vince Aso.

[Toddy]

Strong All Blacks core?? They named two reserve All Blacks and a couple of fringe players.

[Canes4life]

The Canes will be simply looking to run the Stormers off the park with the side they've picked. Whether they can do it or not is another question. If we can hold firm at set-piece I think we should grind out a tight win, if we don't then it could get ugly.

[Canes4life]

@Higgins Mafileo gets the start as I understand Fidow is about a week away from playing. I suspect him to be named next week against the Jaguares.

[Bovidae]

Is Ben May injured too?

[Higgins]

@Canes4life Isn't Fidow almost permanently injured, a la Geoff Cridge/Hugh Renton?

[Nepia]

@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2020:

@Canes4life Isn't Fidow almost permanently injured, a la Geoff Cridge/Hugh Renton?

Cridge is not injured at the moment I think - he's been training with the Crusaders.

I wonder if Fidow will get punted by the Canes once his injury clears up as well?

[Higgins]

@Nepia Yet they persist with Blackwell over the almost seven foot tall Cridge. Does Christian Lloyd bring back memories?

[Canes4life]

@Nepia if he has an injury-prone season this year then maybe.

@Higgins Cridge is big, but he is fairly lazy from what I've seen. It is frustrating that they continue to persist with midget at lock though.

[Nepia]

@Canes4life said in Stormers v Hurricanes (Round 1):

@Nepia if he has an injury-prone season this year then maybe.

@Higgins Cridge is big, but he is fairly lazy from what I've seen. It is frustrating that they continue to persist with midget at lock though.

That's not true at all, when he actually plays he goes well ... he just doesn't play very often due to his injuries.