Hurricanes return to Gisborne

SEE YOU IN GIZZY: Hurricanes second five Ngani Laumape is swamped by jubilant teammates including Nehe Milner-Skudder after scoring against the Lions last year. Milner-Skudder and his squad mates are in Gisborne over the holiday weekend for a training camp in preparation for a Super Rugby pre-season game against the Crusaders. NZ Herald picture

THE Hurricanes are coming back to Gisborne and bringing their full Super Rugby squad, including former Gisborne Boys’ High School players Blade Thomson and Isaia Walker-Leawere and Ngati Porou son Nehe Milner-Skudder.

“We’re rapt to have the team here, arriving on Sunday, to prepare for a friendly game against the Crusaders on Friday in Greymouth,” said Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chief executive Marty Davis.

“They were here in 2015, the year they reached the final, and in 2016, the year they won the Super title. Hopefully that’s a good omen for Chris (Boyd, Hurricanes coach) and his team for this season.”

Davis said there were three chances for the public to see the squad, which features 11 2017 All Blacks, including the star halves pairing of TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett.

“They are holding an open training session on Monday from 3.15 and we’re encouraging all our local coaches and the public to attend.

“Then, on Wednesday, we will breakfast together with the team and management.

“This is open to anyone who wants to come along and will be an opportunity to meet all the squad face to face, and enjoy some relaxed conversation. There will also be a couple of interviews with players and management detailing life as a professional player and difficulties faced and addressed in their own business.

“There are similarities in all businesses and this is a wonderful opportunity for Poverty Bay’s wider sporting community to start the working day with a mix of sport, fun and food at The Emerald Hotel. The cost is $30 and doors open at 7.30am, with the Hurricanes leaving for training at 9.30. To guarantee your seat, contact Karen Bryant (karen@povertybayrugby.co.nz) by Friday.”

While Thomson and Milner-Skudder are seasoned Super Rugby players, Walker-Leawere, a 1.97-metre, 122-kilogram lock, will be looking to cement a regular starting spot after cutting his provincial season short to have shoulder surgery.

Walker-Leawere and fellow ’Canes Asafo Aumua and Alex Fidow were members of the New Zealand under-20s side in 2017.

On the local front, Davis said members of the Poverty Bay 2017 Heartland squad were already undergoing fitness training in preparation for the Tini a Maui tournament at Levin in four weeks.

“We’re sending a premier men’s team and an under-18 women’s sevens team.”