Rugby: New coach, fresh team for Canes

Hosea Gear is part of an experienced backline named in the Hurricanes side to face the Highlanders on Friday. Photo / Getty Images

New Hurricanes rugby coach Mark Hammett has named a fresh-looking team for Friday's Super 15 season-opener against the Highlanders in Wellington.

For the moment, Hammett has gone for fitness and form over experience, with four players making their Super rugby debut.

Taranaki tighthead prop Michael Bent starts ahead of the vastly experienced Neemia Tialata, while flankers Mark Reddish and Jack Lam make up the loose forward trio, and 20-year-old Julian Savea will debut on the wing.

Savea and halfback Tyson Keats are the only non-All Blacks in the Hurricanes intimidating backline.

Hammett said today he had little doubt his rookies would step up to the challenge.

"It's a great opportunity to start, and we've got faith in them, otherwise we wouldn't do it,'' he said after training this morning.

"That's how we select our teams - you've got to have faith in the guys that they're able to perform at Super rugby level.''

Hammett said the Hurricanes newcomers had a great chance to stake an early claim for a permanent berth in the starting line-up.

"It's about winning spots, and when you've got this jersey on you work damn hard in it. This is the first group that gets this opportunity, so they need to take it.''

Not too much could be read into Tialata's position in the reserves, with the All Blacks veteran likely to take the field not long after halftime on Friday, Hammett said.

"He's come in a wee bit later around the pre-season phase, so we're just trying to get some work into him.

``We see him as a big part of the year.''

Hammett said Bent and Reddish had impressed in pre-season matches against the Chiefs, Blues and Brumbies.

``They work as hard going forward as going backwards, and I like the fact that if they get hit with a bit of adversity, they'll keep coming.''

Bent had an excellent national provincial championship with Taranaki and was Olo Brown-like in his abilities.

"He's a pretty quiet sort of guy, determined, and goes about his business. He's very task-oriented,'' Hammett said.

"He's a young guy, he's growing, he's going to make mistakes but he's not going to be affected by them.''

Hammett had no concerns about the lack of a specialist lock on bench, having gone with two loose forwards in Faifili Levave and Serge Lilo. There was more advantage in having that cover and Reddish's ability to provide cover at lock was an extra bonus.

Lam had made the most of his pre-season opportunities, with incumbent Karl Lowe out following knee surgery and Serge Lilo battling a couple of niggling injuries.

"Jack's had the majority of the pre-season, so he gets his first opportunity. He's a great ground player with a low centre of gravity,'' Hammett said.

"While he's a quiet man, he's been really talkative around driving some of our defensive systems off set piece - he's quite knowledgeable for a young guy.''

The key to melding the three new caps in the front eight lay in the support available from the more experienced members of the Hurricanes.

"We're a team, not one or two. The more experienced guys have to keep pushing along the less experienced ones - everyone has to do their share.''

Hurricanes
Cory Jane, Julian Save, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Tyson Keats, Victor Vito, Jack Lam, Mark Reddish, Jason Eaton, James Broadhurst, Michael Bent, Andrew Hore (captain), John Schwalger.

Reserves: Dane Coles , Neemia Tialata, Faifili Levave, Serge Lilo, Chris Eaton, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Andre Taylo

Highlanders:
1 Jamie Mackintosh (C), 2 Jason Rutledge, 3 David Te Moana, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 6 Adam Thomson, 7 Alando Soakai, 8 Nasi Manu, 9 Jimmy Cowan (VC), 10 Lima Sopoaga, 11 Kade Poki, 12 Shaun Treeby, 13 Kendrick Lynn, 14 James Paterson, 15 Ben Smith

Reserves: Brayden Mitchell, Bronson Murray, Joe Tuineau, John Hardie, Aaron Smith, Robbie Robinson, Siale Piutau

- NZPA