Rugby: Hurricanes pack matures into genuine force

Ardie Savea is one of a number of young Hurricanes forwards to have developed into key players for the side. Photo / Getty Images

Hurricanes technical coach Richard Watt has watched his side's forward pack grow up in the past few years.

A member of the coaching staff since 2011, Watt has tutored a number of the Hurricanes' young forwards and their development has been notable.

Players such as Brad Shields, Reggie Goodes, Ardie Savea, Mark Abbott and Blade Thomson have all become key cogs in a forward pack that has helped the Hurricanes to a 4-0 start in 2015.

"Every year you're keeping that pack together you're getting more maturity and more experience and they've physically grown as athletes as well," Watt said.

"Anyone that knows anything about forward packs [will tell you], they take a while to develop and mature."

Watt has seen some of those young men arrive at the Hurricanes as ITM Cup novices before turning in to players who are closing in on collecting 50 Super Rugby caps.

The team has built on the foundation laid by former coach Mark Hammett after his infamous clear out in 2011 that created a new breed of Hurricanes the following year.

Hammett will probably never get the credit he deserves for changing the landscape of the Hurricanes but new coach Chris Boyd and his assistant John Plumtree have taken things to a new level this season.

Watt said their week-long trip to Gisborne in January was crucial to their preparation before they went to South Africa and Australia to start the season.

"We got really tight," Watt said. "We got a massive amount done."

Halfback TJ Perenara said the influence of Boyd and Plumtree had been positive for the team.

"The biggest thing is the way they've got the gameplan across to the boys and got everyone to buy in," the 23-year-old said.

The Hurricanes will put their unbeaten record on the line in Dunedin on Friday night when they meet the fifth-placed Highlanders who have also enjoyed a strong start to the year with three wins and a loss.

"Having four wins to start the season is good but you don't win a championship with the first four games of the year," Perenara said.

"So we know that we've just got to continue to play well."

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes will be without the services of James Broadhurst for their match against the Highlanders after he was suspended for one week following an incident against the Blues last Friday where he struck Luke Braid with his knee.

The offending wasn't deemed deliberate by the judiciary and Watt said the side had no issues with the sanction placed on the 27-year-old lock who plead guilty after being cited.

Broadhurst's starting spot will likely be taken by Jeremy Thrush who returned from a calf injury to play off the bench in the win over the Blues in Palmerston North.