Rugby: Hurricanes opt for continuity against Blues

Daniel Kirkpatrick. Photo / Getty Images

Enough is enough for Mark Hammett.

Injuries have forced the Hurricanes coach into enough team changes during his short tenure to cause him a year's worth of sleepless nights so, when given the option of stability ahead of a Super 15 rugby match against the Blues here on Friday, the decision was straightforward.

In comes first five-eighth Daniel Kirkpatrick at No 12 as a replacement for Charlie Ngatai, who broke an ankle in the 28-26 win over the Reds here last Saturday, in the only change to the starting 15.

Hammett and assistant coach Alama Ieremia could have easily moved centre Jayden Hayward into second-five, Alapati Leiua from wing to centre, and given Julian Savea a run on the flank, but that would have been a major reshuffle and just what the coaching staff wanted to avoid on the back of an eagerly awaited quality performance.

Nonetheless, the backs division still has a makeshift look to it with Ngatai and All Blacks Piri Weepu, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Cory Jane all consigned to the Wellington Stadium grandstands because of injury, but at least there is a semblance of continuity.

"A big part of (Kirkpatrick's selection) was around the combination last week, we've had a lot of changes as it is," Hammett said today.

"We just wanted to maintain some stability around that."

The fact they have two pivots gives them attacking options with the ball on the boot and in the hand, particularly with first five-eighth Aaron Cruden last week showing more than a glimpse of the running game which has already made him an All Black.

Kirkpatrick said he was excited at the prospect of combining with Cruden against a team he played a handful of games for last season.

"It's not too much of a shift for me, really. I guess you've just got to carry a bit more and be a little bit more physical at 12 but other than that, you see a lot of 10s and 12s switching.

"I'm pretty keen to play outside of (Cruden), especially with his running game and running off his shoulder," said Kirkpatrick, whose experience in the No 12 jersey is limited to "three or four" games off the reserves bench for the Blues.

"If he gets his game going as we saw last week he can make a few breaks so it's exciting and hopefully he can set me up."

Hammett is coy on who will perform the goalkicking. He has three options -- Cruden, Kirkpatrick and fullback Andre Taylor -- but none of the trio have impressed off the tee this season.

Cruden's matchwinning penalty against the Reds failed to mask an ordinary display and Kirkpatrick, generally considered to be the best of the trio, may well get the nod.

The match will be the second occasion the Hurricanes have met the Blues this year.

The table-topping Blues won the first encounter 41-17 in mid-March and while buoyed by a morale-boosting win against the Reds, Hammett knows what to expect this week.

"There's a focus around the Blues being a physical team and we need to match that physicality and maintain our ball so we can play our game. A lot of that is around attitude as well," he said.

"The trainings have been outstanding, but at training you're not against opposition coming back at you a hundred miles an hour. The clarity and the understanding of how we want to play is really good, but if we go to B before we get A done we get in trouble."

Hammett said the conscious shift to a more attack-focused gameplan would remain but otherwise he was giving little away.

"Obviously we're not going to tell (the media), no matter how much we like you," he laughed.

Hurricanes side: Andre Taylor, Alapati Leiua, Jayden Hayward, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Chris Eaton, Victor Vito, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, James Broadhurst, Jason Eaton, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore (captain), John Schwalger. Reserves: Dane Coles, Anthony Perenise, Jeremy Thrush, Mark Reddish, Tyson Keats, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett.

Blues side: Jared Payne, Joe Rokocoko, Rene Ranger, Benson Stanley, Lachie Munro, Stephen Brett, Alby Mathewson, Peter Saiili, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Chris Lowrey, John Afoa, Keven Mealumu (captain), Tevita Mailau. Reserves: Tom McCartney, Pauliasi Manu, James King, Sean Tolwart, Chris Smylie, Aaron Bancroft, Sherwin Stowers.

- NZPA