Ardie Savea of the Hurricanes. Photo / Photsport.co.nz
Ardie Savea of the Hurricanes. Photo / Photsport.co.nz
Five things we've learned from the first two rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa OPINION:
Lack of depth at 10
The growing gap between Richie Mo'unga and the rest must be concerning All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Beauden Barrett will return from Japan in time to challenge for the All Blacks seasonin July, but other test ready options at first-five are thin on the ground. Otere Black's steady hand may, at present, be the closest alternative. Josh Ioane has the talent to take the next step, but is yet to kick on following his one test against Tonga prior to the 2019 World Cup, with Tony Brown preferring Mitchell Hunt in the Highlanders' opening defeat of the season to the Crusaders.
Last week, with Ioane at 10 and Hunt switching to fullback, the Highlanders had a much better balance to their side. Elsewhere the Hurricanes were forced to chuck Jordie Barrett in at first-five last week - very much a stopgap measure - after Jackson Garden-Bachop departed injured at half time in their one-sided defeat to the Crusaders.
There may come a point soon, too, where the Chiefs elect to push their fullback, Damian McKenzie, in to start 10 after Bryn Gatland's poor debut for the franchise raised questions as to why the franchise was so keen to hand him a three-year deal. Kaleb Trask is the other first-five in Hamilton – he was unavailable round one due to a knee injury – but the fact James O'Connor was a prime preseason target reveals the faith the Chiefs had in their first-five options.
There was once a time when front-rowers solely buried their heads in the dark arts. Not so anymore. Certainly not when it comes to Codie Taylor. Rejigging his offseason training, with a strong CrossFit focus, is paying off for Taylor. He's been – by some distance, too – the standout figure through the first two rounds.
Taylor's set piece work remains supreme, which should never be taken for granted, not least for the pure physical exertion and techinque required for those core scrum, lineout and maul roles. Yet it's Taylor's additional, bonus efforts that's captured attention. From hitting angled holes and sprinting 35-metres to score the opening try of the season in Dunedin to taking quick taps against the Hurricanes, Taylor is in freakish form. It speaks volumes that his performances put Asafo Aumua in the shade. Dane Coles revolutionised the hooking role but as he prepares for his likely final season with the Hurricanes, Taylor is proving he is ready to assume the mantle from his Horowhenua-Kapiti mate.
Codie Taylor of the Crusaders celebrates his try during the round one Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Highlanders and the Crusaders. Photo / Getty Images.
Stacked outside backs
I see Jona Nareki, and raise you Sevu Reece. Nareki was the undoubted star of round two - his 192 running metres and hat-trick inspiring the Highlanders to score 26 unanswered points in their comeback victory over the Chiefs. As good as Nareki was in his best performance in XVs – the way he broke tackles with ease offered hope to all small, aspiring athletes – Reece has set the bar for New Zealand's stacked outside backs. After a season in which he slipped behind Caleb Clarke and Jordie Barrett last year, Reece has exploded out of the blocks in 2021. His work-rate has been exceptional – look no further than him jumping off the ground to run down Garden-Bachop's intercept. Savouring his roaming commission on the right wing Reece has consistently popped up all over the park to send an early message to Foster that he wants more than one test appearance this season.
Halfbacks begin to emerge
The next crop of halfbacks are coming in the form of Folau Fakatava and Xavier Roe. The trait they share? Dynamic, sniping, running games. In his first start for the Highlanders Fakatava scored against the Chiefs last week – leaving Brad Weber for dead with a big right foot step. Roe, in his debut off the bench for the Chiefs, did not leave the same impression but, in time, his crisp delivery, speed and vision to spot holes will propel him into national contention. While a halfback's core task is to pass well, the ability to offer an attacking threat adds another dimension to any team. Fakatava and Roe both possess lethal threats around the fringes, particularly to tiring tight forwards.
Folau Fakatava of the Highlanders during the round two Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Chiefs and the Highlanders. Photo / Getty Images.
Long season for the Hurricanes
Wellingtonians still honk their car horns through the Mount Victoria tunnel. Unlike that exhaust-fumed thoroughfare, it's difficult to see any light at the end of the Hurricanes campaign. Setting aside their major depth issues in the halves where, having lost Simon Hickey to a season-ending injury, they have one first-five, the Hurricanes increasingly resemble a team of individuals. Ardie Savea and Asafo Aumua have produced moments of magic but, as a team, the Hurricanes haven't generated anywhere near the necessary go forward. Too often that leaves the backline waiting, hoping, Jordie Barrett will spark an attacking raid. As the season progresses, that responsibility will weigh heavily on his shoulders, when in another team he could be worrying about his own game.
