Hurricanes 2021
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@canes4life It will be interesting to see how this affects Riccitelli's decisions about where to play in the next few years, and more importantly, a young player like Tyrone Thompson. He may start to look somewhere else now.
@stargazer Not seeing Thompson and Zarn Sullivan in SRA this year has been so disappointing. Thompson in particular should really consider another franchise. I think he's good enough to be in the Blues 23.
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@stargazer Not seeing Thompson and Zarn Sullivan in SRA this year has been so disappointing. Thompson in particular should really consider another franchise. I think he's good enough to be in the Blues 23.
@akan004 I think the Blues have plenty of depth with Eklund, Tolai, Vikena and Apisai. They probably need a player like Thompson the least of all franchises other than the Hurricanes.
Highlanders have Dixon, Coltman, Jackson; not sure who's below that.
Chiefs have Harris, Taukei'aho, Slater ...; again, I don't know who would be next in line.
Crusaders have Taylor, McAlister .... and Nathan Vella covering for Makalio. The other Canterbury & Ta$man hookers are definitely not of Thompson's calibre.
So, definitely, not the Blues.
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@canes4life It will be interesting to see how this affects Riccitelli's decisions about where to play in the next few years, and more importantly, a young player like Tyrone Thompson. He may start to look somewhere else now.
@stargazer yeah Riccitelli might move on but for someone like Tyrone, I think it will be beneficial for him to stay at the Canes to learn off the likes of Coles. We’ve got a habit of turning hookers into All Blacks, plus that one two punch of Aumua and Thompson down the track looks fairly tantalising.
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@stargazer yeah Riccitelli might move on but for someone like Tyrone, I think it will be beneficial for him to stay at the Canes to learn off the likes of Coles. We’ve got a habit of turning hookers into All Blacks, plus that one two punch of Aumua and Thompson down the track looks fairly tantalising.
@canes4life I agree, but if Riccitelli stays, he'll still be the 5th hooker, because - at this stage - he's also behind O'Reilly.
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@akan004 I think the Blues have plenty of depth with Eklund, Tolai, Vikena and Apisai. They probably need a player like Thompson the least of all franchises other than the Hurricanes.
Highlanders have Dixon, Coltman, Jackson; not sure who's below that.
Chiefs have Harris, Taukei'aho, Slater ...; again, I don't know who would be next in line.
Crusaders have Taylor, McAlister .... and Nathan Vella covering for Makalio. The other Canterbury & Ta$man hookers are definitely not of Thompson's calibre.
So, definitely, not the Blues.
@stargazer said in Hurricanes 2021:
Chiefs have Harris, Taukei'aho, Slater ...; again, I don't know who would be next in line.
Sekope Lopeti Moli, as he is in the WTG and played for the Development team. I do like the look of both Chiefs U20 hookers as well.
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@canes4life I agree, but if Riccitelli stays, he'll still be the 5th hooker, because - at this stage - he's also behind O'Reilly.
@stargazer O'Reilly is not mentioned in dispatches so what he is doing fannying around with the team remains a mystery.
https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/squad/current-squad/
https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/news/article/hurricanes-2021-squad-announced/ -
@stargazer O'Reilly is not mentioned in dispatches so what he is doing fannying around with the team remains a mystery.
https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/squad/current-squad/
https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/news/article/hurricanes-2021-squad-announced/ -
@higgins Yeah, it will be interesting to see who'll get most starts in the NPC, O'Reilly orThompson, this year. He's definitely ahead of Thompson at the Canes, thus far. Experience beating talent at this stage.
@stargazer Thompson has far more potential than O'Reilly and looks to have the physical capability to dominate in that position. O'Reilly however looks barely big enough for NPC.
Hopefully the Lions start Thompson because they seemed to favour James O'Reilly but I think that was probably more down to experience.
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@higgins Yeah, it will be interesting to see who'll get most starts in the NPC, O'Reilly orThompson, this year. He's definitely ahead of Thompson at the Canes, thus far. Experience beating talent at this stage.
@stargazer We won't have to worry about either of them getting starts as none of them are officially part of the squad. Still with the foibles of the current selectors you would not put it past them sneaking them into the team somewhere. I was going to facetiously suggest the number 14 jersey but J Savea looks to have that sewn up for the next two years and Mr. Holland could not be seen to admitting he might have got it wrong on that score.
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Anyone know if Laumape copped a suspension from that Crusaders game. I was expecting him to miss the rest of this SRA campaign...
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Anyone know if Laumape copped a suspension from that Crusaders game. I was expecting him to miss the rest of this SRA campaign...
@canes4life No, he wasn't even cited! Unbelievable.
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Looks likes the token Hawkes Bay player will be happy to play in front of a home crowd

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/hurricanes-to-play-western-force-at-napiers-mclean-park/6PA6CG2JAFBOG2NRRFCQMKGRBI/ -
Looks likes the token Hawkes Bay player will be happy to play in front of a home crowd

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/hurricanes-to-play-western-force-at-napiers-mclean-park/6PA6CG2JAFBOG2NRRFCQMKGRBI/ -
@canes4life No, he wasn't even cited! Unbelievable.
@stargazer said in Hurricanes 2021:
@canes4life No, he wasn't even cited! Unbelievable.
Pretty sure this is how it works.

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@mikey07 It's against the Western Force. Maybe we get three players on the field instead of two.
@stargazer Hey hey Hey don’t get carried away now you can choose between IWL or Flanders that’s it no Raukete-Stones or Toala is 1 too many for a starting 23.
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@canes4life No, he wasn't even cited! Unbelievable.
@stargazer yeah piss poor really.
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From that article in the Hawke's Bay Today:
Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee said: "We are really looking forward to playing in Napier. The team always love the experience in the Bay and it's always a great atmosphere on game day. Our relationship with Hawke's Bay rugby is very important to us and we thank them and the Force for making this happen."

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From that article in the Hawke's Bay Today:
Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee said: "We are really looking forward to playing in Napier. The team always love the experience in the Bay and it's always a great atmosphere on game day. Our relationship with Hawke's Bay rugby is very important to us and we thank them and the Force for making this happen."

@stargazer I remember him promising that we secured the talents of an international calibre first five (post Beaudy moving on) in a Radio Sport interview. He’s lied through his teeth more than once.
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@stargazer I remember him promising that we secured the talents of an international calibre first five (post Beaudy moving on) in a Radio Sport interview. He’s lied through his teeth more than once.
@canes4life Or he consider Simon Hickey as "international calibre" :face_with_tears_of_joy:
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@canes4life Or he consider Simon Hickey as "international calibre" :face_with_tears_of_joy:
@stargazer probably, no surprise at the other odd selections if that’s the case.