All Blacks playmaker makes stunning revelation about his ambitions
Hurricanes utility back Ruben Love.
Hurricanes utility back Ruben Love does not mind the number on his back and is happy to play in any position for the Wellington-based outfit in Super Rugby Pacific.
The 24-year-old started the 2025 season at full-back and although the Hurricanes battled during the initial stages of their Super Rugby Pacific campaign, he was in good form.
However, the one-Test All Black moved to fly-half in recent weeks and caught the eye with impressive performances as the Hurricanes‘ chief playmaker and helped them during a four-match unbeaten run which has taken them to fifth position in the standings ahead of Round Five.
Despite his excellent form, Love said he would be guided by his coaches on which position to play, although he has big ambitions for his rugby career.
“All I can control is how I play the game and manage our team. If the All Blacks coaches see similarities in what they want as a 10 then I can take that next step forward and try to be that player,” Love told Stuff.
Stunning revelation
“I want to be the best player in the world so if I play 10 then it means I have to be the best 10. If I play full-back then I have to be the best full-back but every day I just want to get better and take steps towards that.”
Love’s switch to fly-half was initially forced upon Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw after he lost the services of Brett Cameron and Harry Godfrey to injury.
However, despite having Cameron available for selection again after recovering from a serious knee injury, Laidlaw has opted to continue with Love as his first choice fly-half.
In their win over the Highlanders last week, Cameron came on at fly-half at half-time with Love moving to full-back where he continued to shine.
“It’s a wee bit like when we were playing him at fullback and there was a temptation to play him at 10 – he can play both,” Laidlaw said.
“Obviously we had to put BC on earlier than we thought but we’re under no illusions that he’s coming back from a very serious injury and he’s played 40 minutes at Super level.
‘Delighted with how Ruben is playing at 10’
“We’re really happy with how they dovetailed last week, when we had to put BC on a bit earlier [than planned] but we’re also delighted with how Ruben is playing at 10 so we don’t feel any rush to make that change.”
Despite playing primarily at full-back over the past three years, Love’s move to fly-half has been a seamless one and he has impressed with his attacking play and his goal-kicking.
“I think what has allowed me to do that is the way the game of rugby, in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, has evolved,” Love added.
“10 and 15 are similar play styles nowadays. If you go back a decade ago, if I came in, it would have been more challenging. You look at some of the great players [now]; Beauden Barrett, Thomas Ramos, even Hugo Keenan or Fin and Marcus Smith could play both.
“At some point you have to specialise in one but at the moment I just want to put my hand up and say I’m available for both and that I can do it better than anybody. At the end of the day I just want to win, whatever positions that’s in.”
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