The Hurricanes Development programme continues to show its worth in helping the club prepare for its Investec Super Rugby schedule.
Tonight’s curtain raiser against the Chiefs Development side will be the side’s fourth match this season having already lined up against the Crusaders Knights, the Blues Development and a New Zealand Under-20 selection.
Hurricanes Development coach and regional development manager Darren Larsen said the importance of the programme could not be under-stated.
Larsen highlighted the fact that several players who had already been part of the development side in 2018 would be starting or were on the bench for the Hurricanes when they line up against the Sharks at McLean Park.
“If you look at a guy like Sam Henwood, he’s played some big minutes for us, played really well and now he’s starting for the second time in a row for the Hurricanes,” he said.
“You then look at a guy like Jeff Toomaga-Allen who has been in the development side as he came back from injury and the likes of Ihaia West and Reed Prinsep who have got some valuable time at a really good level to keep their form where it needs to be.”
Larsen said the development side’s matches were also an excellent opportunity for the likes of New Zealand Under-20 squad members Devan Flanders, Carlos Price, Billy Proctor and Pasi Uluilakepa to really test themselves before their national commitments.
As well as those key points, provincial union’s within the Hurricanes club were also using the programme to put forward players they want to see play at a higher level, including Hawke’s Bay outside back JJ Tualangi who would come off the bench at McLean Park.
As for tonight’s opposition, Larsen was expecting the Chiefs to be very similar in the way the play.
“They have also got a good nucleus of New Zealand Under-20 players who will want to play as hard as our guys,” he added.
Hurricanes Development:
15 Chase Tiatia 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia 13 Billy Proctor 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen 11 Losi Filipo 10 Jacson Garden-Bachop 9 Carlos Price 8 Devan Flanders 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi 6 Liam Mitchell 5 Isaia Walker-Leware 4 Murray Douglas 3 Pouri Rakete-Stones 2 James O’Rielly 1 Marcel Renata. Reserves, 16 Tim Cadwallader 17 Sioni Asi 18 Pasi Uluilkepa 19 Liam Hallam-Eames 20 Will Tremain 21 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara 22 James Tofa 23 J.J. Tualangi