Hurricanes brace for Crusaders challenge
Monday, May 8, 2017 Lynn McConnell Getty Images
Having continued their own success in recent weeks the Hurricanes will be looking for a significant improvement after their win over the Stormers was described as 'pretty average' by assistant coach Jason Holland.
QUICK TAP: CHICAGO COUNTS FOR NOTHING FOR LIONS
There were stages were the side had been ordinary and in attack their skill sets had not always been where they needed to be.
"We turned over a bit of ball, we didn't quite nail our simple things so we're aware of that," he said and the players would be aware of it after their Monday training," he said.
There was no change in captain and hooker Dane Coles' condition while wing Nehe Milner-Skudder was still not in the frame as he recovers from foot fractures.
Special focus in preparation would be paid to the Crusaders set-piece play, especially their attack around the maul and scrum.
But that was only one area because they had a lot of threats across the park.
"Attack-wise they're pretty accurate in what they're doing at the moment and they've got a good style of play," he said.
The Hurricanes aren't without their own variations, especially the devastating, for opponents, cross-kick which has been executed so well by first five-eighths Beauden Barrett.
Holland said the tactic wasn't just for isolated incidents, it was something they looked for every time.
"You might see us run a few times; every time they have looked to see if the kick-space is there and if there's not, there might be run-space so it's something we're just trying to get into the boys that we don't miss an opportunity to hit that kick whenever someone is shortened up or we get in behind a team they haven't got someone in the back field, that's what they're looking for," he said.
One player enjoying the run of starts he has had in Coles' absence has been hooker Ricky Riccitelli.
It wasn't a new situation Riccitelli had found himself in as he had to fill in late in last year's campaign but he brought his own energy to the role.
"He really did a job for us, he's been doing some great stuff around our set-piece, he brings some energy and he's got lots of involvement," Holland said.
There were still some rough edges to his game but that was good for him to work on.
Riccitelli said he had learnt a lot with his opportunities last year, but starting so often this year in Coles' absence meant he was concentrating more on learning his role in the team this year.
Coles was mentoring him but at the same time Riccitelli said he wasn't Dane Coles and had to develop his own game and bring his own 'twist' to the side while still learning from the All Black hooker.
Playing the Crusaders always involved a scrummaging challenge, a part of the game he always enjoyed and he was looking forward to this weekend's challenge.
It would involve the eight working together because there was no room for individuality in scrums.
"Being a New Zealand derby it's always special and obviously not hard to get up for playing the Crusaders.
"It’s a really important game for us as a team and as a franchise so we can't wait to get out there and put a performance out and execute," he said.
QUICK TAP: CHICAGO COUNTS FOR NOTHING FOR LIONS
There were stages were the side had been ordinary and in attack their skill sets had not always been where they needed to be.
"We turned over a bit of ball, we didn't quite nail our simple things so we're aware of that," he said and the players would be aware of it after their Monday training," he said.
There was no change in captain and hooker Dane Coles' condition while wing Nehe Milner-Skudder was still not in the frame as he recovers from foot fractures.
Special focus in preparation would be paid to the Crusaders set-piece play, especially their attack around the maul and scrum.
But that was only one area because they had a lot of threats across the park.
"Attack-wise they're pretty accurate in what they're doing at the moment and they've got a good style of play," he said.
The Hurricanes aren't without their own variations, especially the devastating, for opponents, cross-kick which has been executed so well by first five-eighths Beauden Barrett.
How GOOD has the @HurricanesRugby cross-field kick been this season?! #SuperBoomBoom pic.twitter.com/IqrPPoD1S5— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) May 8, 2017That success came down to working on it during the week.
Holland said the tactic wasn't just for isolated incidents, it was something they looked for every time.
"You might see us run a few times; every time they have looked to see if the kick-space is there and if there's not, there might be run-space so it's something we're just trying to get into the boys that we don't miss an opportunity to hit that kick whenever someone is shortened up or we get in behind a team they haven't got someone in the back field, that's what they're looking for," he said.
One player enjoying the run of starts he has had in Coles' absence has been hooker Ricky Riccitelli.
It wasn't a new situation Riccitelli had found himself in as he had to fill in late in last year's campaign but he brought his own energy to the role.
"He really did a job for us, he's been doing some great stuff around our set-piece, he brings some energy and he's got lots of involvement," Holland said.
There were still some rough edges to his game but that was good for him to work on.
Riccitelli said he had learnt a lot with his opportunities last year, but starting so often this year in Coles' absence meant he was concentrating more on learning his role in the team this year.
Coles was mentoring him but at the same time Riccitelli said he wasn't Dane Coles and had to develop his own game and bring his own 'twist' to the side while still learning from the All Black hooker.
Playing the Crusaders always involved a scrummaging challenge, a part of the game he always enjoyed and he was looking forward to this weekend's challenge.
It would involve the eight working together because there was no room for individuality in scrums.
"Being a New Zealand derby it's always special and obviously not hard to get up for playing the Crusaders.
"It’s a really important game for us as a team and as a franchise so we can't wait to get out there and put a performance out and execute," he said.
The Crusaders are on their way back to NZ and planning how they tackle @Hurricanesrugby in this weekend's #SuperRugby blockbuster! #CRUvHUR pic.twitter.com/k84wIRwCXV— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) May 8, 2017
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