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Hurricane chances for provincial players: Tight 5 preview |
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Written by Gibbit
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Friday, 12 October 2007 |
 Something to take my mind of all the moaning I'm hearing on the radio, how many provincial based players actually have a shot of making the Hurricanes? I'll check them out piece by piece over the next few days and see what you guys think.
When taking into account selections I considered the following things:
Has the player been a Cane before?
Is the player from Wellington?
Is the player already ear-marked for big things through the NZ age grade system and
Did this player kick ass consisitently in the Air New Zealand Cup?
For non franchise based players anywhere in NZ making into a Super 14 jersey is like trying to win the shield, except that you have to win the shield by 20 points.
When 2 players are of equal ability but one of them is from Wellington the Home Franchsie Advantage Selection Rule means the Wellington guy gets in.
So here goes, Tight forwards first
H O O K E R Stormin
No draft needed
Probables
1- Andrew Hore
2- Tone Kopelani
3- Dane Coles
Scrapping it out are Wellington's Tone Kopelani, Dane Coles & Luke Mahoney against Hika Elliott and Andrew Hore. Hore is an All Black and a fixture in the Canes front row, nuff said.
Hika is young but what a brilliant season he has had for Hawkes Bay. The Highlanders or even a canny Crusader outfit are going to pick up a beauty in the draft with this kid.
I think Kopelani will come straight back in to the Canes after his injury is healed due to his experience at the top level, Wellington invested a lot to get him there.
Coles is another young hooker with x-factor like Elliott and using the Home Franchsie Advantage Selection Rule Coles gets the advantage.
Odds
To back up Hore
$ 50.00 Rob Foreman - Man
$ 50.00 Lawence Corlett - Tar
$ 10.00 Luke Mahoney - WGN
$ 8.00 Hika Elliott - HB
$ 3.00 Dane Coles - WGN
$ 2.50 Tone Kopelani - WGN
P R O P Axle Props: No draft needed
Probables
1- John Schwalger
2- Neemia Tialata
3- Anthony Perenise
4- Tony Penn
Tilata is now in a three horse race with Somerville and Johnstone for the AB Tighthead jersey. John Schwalger was a huge improver last year and is one of the better props at Super 14 level . Both of them are good tacklers, ball runners and passers who are busy around the field and have good stamina, which will be important if the new rules are adopted for the Super 14 as has been floated.
A solid scrum is one of the main reasons the Magpies have made it all the way to the semis. Fairbrother and Taumalolo would make a decent pair of back up props, but using the HFASR Anthony Perenise would probably have the inside running. That means only one place left vacant for one out of Fairbrother, Taumalolo & Tony Penn.
I figure Penn gets that position based on experience with the Canes sysytem. Whoever prop number 4 is he'll probably only play against the Reds and Force, so he'll have to be a good tourist and trainer. I've got my fingers crossed for Sona though, imagine a fired up Sona charging about the field with Jerry ?!
Odds:
To back up Tialata and Schwalger
$ 50.00 Hamish Mitchell - Tar
$ 50.00 Talau Hala - Man
$ 10.00 Tim Fairbrother - HB
$ 8.50 Faka'anaua Taumalolo - HB
$ 6.00 Tony Penn - TAR
$ 5.00 Anthony Perenise - WGN
L O C K Yellow Card Locks: No draft needed
Probables
1-Jason Eaton
2-Bernie Upton
3-Hayden triggs
Who to leave out?
Wellington bring Bernie Upton and Jeremy Thrush and MAYBE Ross Filipo if the Crusaders decide to go with Williams,Ross & O'Neill as their second row combo. In this case I'm going to assume he goes to Christchurch.
Jason Eaton should be available again and an automatic selection. I hope he keeps the beard, and only wears dungarees, and drives a tow truck. He could be awesome if the new rules are adopted provided he can still run like he did prior to his injury.
Hayden Triggs will be fighting it out with Craig Clarke & Jeremy Thrush for the 3rd lock spot. I would pick Triggs who has been a consistently good performer for a few years now. He's bigger and more physical but Thrush is very athletic and also has the power of the HFASR to be favourite to take this jersey and send Triggs to the Cheifs?
Brynn Evans and Matt Egan will suffer from the 'heightest' Super 14 selection criteria but have been huge for Te Bay this year.
Odds:
To be the third lock behind Eaton & Upton
$50.00 Bryn Evans - HB
$ 2.80 Craig Clarke - Tar
$ 2.30 Jeremy Thrush - WGN
$ 1.85 Hayden Triggs - Man
Next up .. The loose forwards Disagree - want to make a point? Leave your views here on the forum |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 12 October 2007 )
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