Rugby: Barrett brothers to join forces in Hurricanes hitout

NZ Herald

15 Feb, 2017 06:37 PM3 mins to read

Beauden Barrett (L) and brother Jordie Barrett with their trophies at the NZ Rugby Awards. Photo / Getty

It will be something of a homecoming for the Barrett boys as the Hurricanes prepare to face the Crusaders in tomorrow afternoon's last pre-season hitout in Waverley.

Brothers Beauden and Jordie Barrett will take the field together for the first time at the Border Rugby Club in Waverley on Saturday.

The two Taranaki-born siblings will be in semi-familiar territory in the tiny south Taranaki town with Beauden at first five and Jordie at fullback during the first half of the Super Rugby pre-season match. The Border club is technically in the Wanganui union but is geographically in south Taranaki.

Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd has selected four of his five 2016 All Blacks with Ardie Savea to start at openside flanker and TJ Perenara and Julian Savea to take their places at halfback and on the left wing respectively in the second half.

"It's been great to have our All Blacks in camp with us for the past few weeks and I know they are all looking forward to getting back on the field and gearing up for the start of Super Rugby," Boyd said.

"This is our last chance to have a look at our combinations before the season kicks off against the Sunwolves in Tokyo next Saturday, so it's an important exercise."

One All Black not suiting up this week is Hurricanes captain Dane Coles who will sit out the match as he continues his individual return to play protocol.

The Farmlands Grassroots Game Day promises to be a huge occasion for the Waverley and Whanganui communities with no less than 14 All Blacks from the 2016 end of year tour squad set to take the field across the Hurricanes and Crusaders squads.

The Hurricanes' starting side will also provide an opportunity for Hurricanes fans to see new recruit Ben Lam in action with the former New Zealand Sevens star starting on the right wing.

World Rugby's 2016 Player of the Year Beauden Barrett will team up with halfback Chris Smylie, who has rejoined the Hurricanes as injury cover, while TJ Perenara and Maori All Black Otere Black will form the second half halves pairing.

Jordie Barrett will make way for Nehe Milner-Skudder at the break, while Lam will sub off for Cory Jane and Ardie Savea for Callum Gibbins.

The match, which kicks off at 5pm, has sold out with 4500 fans from the Whanganui and south Taranaki regions showing their support. The Hurricanes will be holding an open training run at Cooks Gardens, home of the Wanganui Rugby Union, this afternoon.

The Crusaders, who reached the Brisbane Tens final last weekend by beating the Hurricanes in the semifinal, have yet to announce their side, but newly re-signed Israel Dagg looks set to feature. The likes of Mitch Hunt and new recruit Seta Tamanivalu looked full of running in Brisbane.

The Hurricanes' first half/second half line-ups to play the Crusaders in Waverley are:

15 Jordie Barrett/Nehe Milner-Skudder
14 Ben Lam/Cory Jane
13 Vince Aso/Matt Proctor
12 Pita Ahki/Ngani Laumape
11 Wes Goosen/Julian Savea
10 Beauden Barrett/Otere Black
9 Chris Smylie/TJ Perenara
8 Toa Halafihi/Blade Thomson
7 Ardie Savea/Callum Gibbins
6 Brad Shields/Reed Prinsep
5 Mark Abbott/Michael Fatialofa
4 Isaia Walker-Leawere/James Blackwell
3 Mike Kainga/Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
2 James O'Reilly/Ricky Riccitelli
1 Loni Uhila/Chris Eves

Reserves for both halves: Ben May, Hugh Renton, Jonah Lowe