Hurricane warning

Vae Fifita is chased by his All Blacks teammates Beauden Barrett (left) and Ardie Savea during the Hurricanes’ open training session in hot Gisborne weather at Rugby Park yesterday. The Hurricanes are preparing for a Super Rugby pre-season game against the Crusaders at Greymouth on Friday. “There is another opportunity for the public to meet the players, tomorrow at the Emerald Hotel at a 7.30am breakfast,” said Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chief executive Marty Davis. “You don’t have to book, just turn up. The cost is $30.” Pictures by Paul Rickard

WHEN I turned up at Rugby Park yesterday for the Hurricanes open training session I thought I was at the wrong ground.

All I could hear and see at one part of the pitch was a lot of laughing, yelling and players having fun playing games.

Head coach Chris Boyd said that was a big part of the Canes’ training — “having fun, the boys getting to know each other again and the new guys being made to feel welcome”.

“We also have a surf challenge tomorrow (today) when teams of four, including some of the coaching staff, will swim and paddle.”

When the Canes coaches/trainers at the other end of the park blew their whistle, the fun stopped and the serious stuff started as the players vie for starting spots in the team to play the Crusaders in a Super Rugby pre-season game in Greymouth on Friday.

“That’s one of the things I love about watching the Hurricanes train,” said Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chief executive Marty Davis.

“They know how to have fun but when the switch is flicked, it’s down to the serious stuff. It’s all about total individual ownership. If a player, no matter who he is, makes a mistake, he owns it. There’s no blaming someone else.

“It’s also great for the district to see these Super Rugby players here. We’ve got young kids, adults, parents, grandparents, local coaches and players watching and learning.

“They’ve also got another great opportunity to mix and mingle, talk to the players at the breakfast session tomorrow at the Emerald Hotel.

Boyd, forwards coach John Plumtree and All Black hooker Dane Coles gave Gisborne the thumbs up.

“We love coming to Gisborne. We’re always well received and looked after,” Boyd said.

“In the afternoon, the boys will have some free time and can go golfing, fishing or surfing.”

The hot weather in Gisborne this week was ideal preparation for their opening two Super games — against the Bulls (in Pretoria, South Africa, then the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

Plumtree laughed when reminded that after training camps in Gisborne, the Hurricanes made the Super Rugby final in 2015 and won the title in 2016.

They didn’t come here last year and were beaten by the Lions in the semifinals.

“That’s why we’re back again this year,” said Plumtree, who won two Currie Cup medals with the Sharks (1990, 1996), and coached the Sharks to Currie Cup wins in 2008 and 2010.

“Gisborne suits us and we couldn’t have asked for better weather to prepare us for South Africa.”

Coles, who is recovering from a knee operation and will miss the opening games, said Gisborne “is a good omen for us”.

“The boys love it up here. We’ve got a fairly settled squad, with a few new young guys, and I’m enjoying being back with the Canes after my op.

Coles, a combative player who does not take a backward step to any opponent, said being injured was frustrating “but it is what it is”.

“The good side of it is I get to spend time with my family.

“Having two young kids — three and one — keeps us busy but it’s been great being able to spend time with them at the beach over the summer.”

Despite having played 56 games for the All Blacks and being regarded as one of the world’s best hookers, Coles admitted “with the ABs there are never any guarantees”.

“One of the beauties of rugby is when one guy is out another gets the chance to come in. That makes me motivated to get back playing.”