Hurricanes player ratings: ‘Unsung heroes’ step up while All Blacks star falters as season ended by the Brumbies
Devan Flanders and Cam Roigard in action for the Hurricanes against the Brumbies in Super Rugby Pacific.
Following a 35-28 defeat to the Brumbies in the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs at GIO Stadium on Saturday, here are the player ratings for the Hurricanes.
15 Ruben Love: Better at full-back than he was at fly-half as Love showed some classy touches. Scored the first try with a nice line and then had an assist for the second, but it started to go wrong towards the end of the first half, which continued into the second. Still impressive for the most part but it will be frustrating that he couldn’t build on that first half-hour. 7
14 Bailyn Sullivan: Showed his strength and awareness to score the Hurricanes’ third try but he otherwise struggled to make an impact in attack. Did not do much wrong, however. 6
13 Billy Proctor (cc): Always looking to get involved but the Brumbies marshalled him well for the most part. It might not have been his best game but he is still showing up better than Rieko Ioane in the race for the All Blacks shirt. 6
Physicality and skills
12 Peter Umaga-Jensen: Used his physicality and skill set well in the midfield and was involved in their first two tries, assisting Love’s score and then off-loading again for the full-back, who sent Fatafehi Fineanganofo over. 7
11 Fatafehi Fineanganofo: Like his wing partner, Fineanganofo did not have too many opportunities to stretch his legs but, when he did, the 22-year-old finished nicely. 6
10 Brett Cameron: Had a fine opening half-hour, dictating the game well and linking nicely with Love, but they lost their shape either side of the break and he was eventually replaced at the end of the third quarter. 6
9 Cam Roigard: The Brumbies’ defence was effective around the fringes to prevent Roigard from testing them through the middle, while the hosts also competed well at the breakdown to stop a consistent supply of quick ball. The Hurricanes needed better from their All Blacks star, even if there was the odd bright moment. 6
8 Peter Lakai: Some bruising carries from the number eight, who constantly made ground, whether at close quarters or in the wider channels, to give his side some front foot ball when it was, at times, difficult to come by. 7
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc): There were some mistakes but he was involved throughout on both sides of the ball. Produced a huge shift defensively and was also a key cog in attack. 7
Unsung heroes the standouts
6 Devan Flanders: Provides balance to the back-row by putting his head where it hurts. Flanders made plenty of tackles and also did the hard yards through the middle with ball in hand. A very effective shift. 8
5 Caleb Delany: Solid without being spectacular as the Hurricanes couldn’t get quite dominance in the set-piece while he was on the field. 5
4 Zach Gallagher: A super effort from the lock, who was the game’s top tackler and in the second half caused real issues for the Brumbies lineout. It was the unsung heroes that stepped up for the Wellington outfit rather than the stars. 8
3 Tyrel Lomax: His struggles in the scrum will be a concern for Scott Robertson as Lomax was sent into reverse in the opening period. Busy around the park but not much of an impact from the All Blacks tighthead. 5
2 Jacob Devery: Stood in for the injured Asafo Aumua and, although there was the odd lineout wobble, Devery was a ubiquitous presence around the field. Did well but no doubt the Hurricanes would have liked Aumua’s ballast on the field. 6
1 Xavier Numia: Like Lomax, the set-piece was a problem. Numia did a bit more in the loose but scrummaging is what he is ultimately judged on. 5
Replacements: The front-row gave them energy and set-piece stability while Hugo Plummer and Brad Shields did their jobs particularly well in the back five of the scrum. Callum Harkin also showed some classy touches despite his late brain fade which ended their Super Rugby Pacific title hopes. 7
