Class Act: Former Magpie Cory Jane will start on the right wing for the Magpies tonight. Photo/Paul Taylor
Most of the few mistakes former All Black Cory Jane has made throughout his career have been well documented.
The curfew incident with Hawke's Bay All Black Israel Dagg during the 2011 World Cup is perhaps the most notable. Another biggie has been Jane's reluctance to reveal the impact playing for the Magpies had on his career ... until now.
Jane, 34, played nine games for the Magpies in 2004 as a loan player from Wellington in his first season of first class rugby. The Magpies were beaten 19-14 by Nelson Bays in the division two final in Nelson and fullback Jane and winger Karl Mudzamba scored the Bay's tries.
"It was unfortunate we didn't win the close final but I enjoyed the experience and it was a fun team to play with. I was a young fellah, the same age as some of our young Canes this season and it was good coming up here from Wellington to play in a different environment," Jane said after the Hurricanes completed their Captain's Run yesterday in the countdown to tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Brumbies at Napier's McLean Park.
"Dad [Steve Jane] grew up in Wairoa and was a big supporter of the Magpies before moving to Wellington and then became a Magpies and Lions supporter. He loved watching me play in Magpies colours," Jane recalled.
An All Black from 2008 to 2015, Jane, will start on the right wing tonight. He agreed the 2017 Canes backline is just as talented as most of the franchise's backlines he has played in since his Super Rugby debut in 2007.
"Hurricanes teams have always had good backlines but it's not just the backline which is good about this year's team. Our forward pack is also good and all of us players have that competitiveness to try and get better ... everyone is on the same page."
The fact the Heretaunga College product can still command a regular starting berth at Super level for the defending champions is a credit to the high standards he demands of himself.
"I still want to play and to compete with all these talented youngsters who keep popping up I know I have to keep pushing my body further. But that's cool for myself."
The 2006 Commonwealth Games New Zealand Sevens gold medallist and Maori All Black predicted a huge future for Magpies speedster Jonah Lowe who is an injury-cover player in the Hurricanes squad and has been a regular trainer with the squad since December.
"I've watched Jonah in a couple of games for the Development team and he fits in so well with us at trainings when he tests a few of the boys. It's like he has been with us for a couple of years ... not just this one."
Jane had plenty of respect for the Brumbies.
"People write off Aussie teams but the Brumbies rolled us last year. They are good at the breakdown and very physical. They are the Crusaders of Australia and work great as a unit. While other teams boast more fire power they can still beat them. We have got to be on our game or they will take it to us."
The lineout drive has worked well for the Brumbies this season. Hurricanes assistant coach and 1992 Magpies flanker John Plumtree said his forwards have done their homework on this aspect of the visitors repertoire.
"The South African teams and some of the other bigger sides like to use the lineout drive as a weapon against us and we've done a lot of strategic work to try and combat it."
There were far too many occasions when the Canes didn't have enough players committed at the breakdown in last weekend's win against the Blues and Plumtree said this issue has also been addressed.
"We pride ourselves in our breakdown work."
Three 2016 Magpies, prop Ben May, hooker Ricky Riccitelli and lock Mark Abbott will all start for the Canes tonight. As good as this trio have been playing it's the hot form of Canes first five-eighth and the world's best player in 2016, Beauden Barrett who is likely to be the main factor in the crowd figure passing the 12,000 mark.
Barrett has never had a bad game in Hurricanes, All Black or Taranaki colours at McLean Park.