RUGBY: Falcon MkII to start for Canes

BIG OPPORTUNITY: Magpie Tiaan Falcon will start for the Hurricanes in their first pre-season match of the season today. PHOTO/FILE

BIG OPPORTUNITY: Magpie Tiaan Falcon will start for the Hurricanes in their first pre-season outing of the year today. PHOTO/FILE
Blues v Huricanes
Auckland
By Shane Hurndell
Tiaan Falcon remembers the first time he played alongside his Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby teammates Hugh Renton and Mason Emerson.
"It was my year 9 season at Lindisfarne College and they were a year ahead of me. Six years later we will play together for the Hurricanes in their first pre-season match of the season," Falcon said referring to the Canes match against the Blues in Auckland today.
Falcon, 19, has been training with the Canes since the beginning of December as injury cover and will return to the Bay after the bulk of the Canes squad travel to the Brisbane Tens.
"I'm pretty excited. I've got a good opportunity and I want to go out with a bang because I could be one injury away from returning down here again," Falcon said after the team's pool recovery session at Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre yesterday.
Falcon will start at first five-eighth for the visitors, Renton will start at No 8 and fellow Magpie Jonah Lowe at centre. Emerson, who was called into the squad as injury cover for Peter Umaga-Jensen this week, and fellow 2016 Magpies, lock Mark Abbott and hooker Ricky Riccitelli, will play in the second half.
There's a strong chance Falcon will get game time against the Magpies and Blues No 1 pivot Ihaia West. Surprisingly there hasn't been any communication between the pair this week and definitely no bets.
"We'll keep the chat for the field," Falcon quipped.
A son of former Hurricane and Maori All Black Gordon Falcon, who playd four games for rhe Canes in 2000, Falcon said he has enjoyed soaking up the experience of training alongside many of the country's big names who helped deliver the Canes their first Super Rugby Championship last year.
"All the boys know the game inside and out and I'm enjoying learning how they apply all their tactics. I've also enjoyed learning about the path Dad took."
"Dad is always pretty proud of me. He has told me not to go into a shell and stick to my natural game. We've got a young team but if we stick to our structures and let the game flow we should be right."
Lowe was earlier this week named in the Canes squad to travel to the Tens and his selection for today's game is another indication of how much he has impressed the Canes coaching staff since being called in as injury cover for Magpies lock Geoff Cridge who will miss the Canes season after knee surgery. He is a brother of Canes flanker Karl Lowe who played 41 matches for the Canes from 2009 to 2013.
Jordie Barrett will share the Hurricanes fullback duties with Nehe Milner-Skudder who will start in the No 15 jersey before handing the custodian's duties to Barrett in the second half as head coach Chris Boyd looks to utilise as many of his squad as possible.
"We've essentially picked two teams to play in each half, so one of the main goals is to give a large group of players the chance to get some contact under their belts after a fairly long period focusing largely on strength and conditioning," Boyd said.
"On the rugby front we want to see how our processes work under scrutiny, so there are a number of different things we will be looking to take out of the match."
Barrett's first run in the Hurricanes jersey will be without his older brother Beauden, who, like the squad's other All Blacks, remains unavailable for the first pre-season match of the year.
The Hurricanes team is:
Nehe Milner-Skudder, Malo Tuitama, Jonah Lowe, Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Tiaan Falcon, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Hugh Renton, Callum Gibbins, James Blackwell, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Michael Fatialofa, Mike Kainga, Asafo Aumua, Reg Goodes,
Substitutes: Forwards, Loni Uhila, Joe Apikotoa, Chris Eves, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Ricky Riccitelli, Mark Abbott, Vaea Fifita, Brad Shields, Toa Halafihi, Antonio Kirikiri, Reed Prinsep. Backs, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Otere Black, Mason Emerson, Ngani Laumape, Matt Proctor, Jordie Barrett.