Super charged: Michael Hooper set to return and battle of the All Blacks flankers

Dylan Coetzee
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Making its return, we bring you Super charged, in which we preview the main talking points ahead of the next round of Super Rugby Pacific action.

Games to watch

Hurricanes v Chiefs

The Hurricanes have had a mixed bag of results in Super Rugby Pacific this season, winning two of four matches, including a brilliant come-from-behind Round Two triumph against the Blues in that game’s dying moments.

Despite their indifferent form, they have looked promising and will be desperately keen to bounce back from losing against newcomers Moana Pasifika last weekend in golden point extra-time.

A positional switch sees Jordie Barrett slot in at inside centre in an exciting experiment that could pay dividends. This season, Barrett has looked like a mature player and he usually plays well no matter where he is on the park.

On the other hand, the Chiefs have won three of five games this season, including an away victory over the Crusaders in Round Four but, disappointingly for them, they fell short against the Christchurch-based side in the reverse fixture last weekend.

Brodie Retallick’s thumb injury is unfortunate, but the Chiefs will have to rely on their depth to provide a strong base for their playmakers to work with.

With the Hurricanes at home and ready to inevitably bounce back after their frustrating loss last time out, they will be favourites to claim this clash with strength across the park. TJ Perenara will be a key factor as he settles in after returning from Japan.

Expect a high paced thriller with few points between the sides at the final hooter.

Reds v Brumbies

Australia’s two leading teams are set for battle again and if their recent matches are to be used as a yardstick, this encounter should go down to the wire with the victors winning by a narrow margin.

These two sides have been involved in some epic battles in recent years and ahead of their latest clash, which takes place at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday, the Reds hold a slight edge as they have won four out of seven matches between these teams since the 2020 Super Rugby AU tournament, with the Brumbies victorious on three occasions.

However, it’s the Brumbies who will head into this fixture as the more confident side as they are the last remaining undefeated team in Super Rugby Pacific, with the men from Canberra currently sitting pretty at the top of the table – four points clear of the Reds, who are in second place.

This will be the second time that these sides face each other this year. Their previous encounter was a tough battle in Round Five, with the result in the balance until the final whistle, but the Brumbies held on and eventually clinched a 16-12 victory in their backyard.

That means the Reds will be out for revenge and they will prove difficult to beat on their own turf, but that is easier said than done as their visitors will be determined to retain their unbeaten status in the competition.

Player to watch – Michael Hooper (Waratahs)

After an absence of nearly two years, the 30-year-old is set to return to action for his beloved Waratahs following a spell in club rugby in Japan in 2021.

The openside flanker has been a key player for the Sydneysiders since joining them from the Brumbies in 2013 and he will be determined to hit the ground running if he comes off the bench against Fijian Drua on Australia’s Gold Coast on Friday.

A four-time John Eales Medallist and twice nominated for World Rugby’s Player of the Year award, Hooper is one of the modern day game’s greats whose solid defence, ball carrying ability and excellent breakdown skills will be a shot in the arm for the Waratahs, who are currently in fifth position on the table with 15 points from six matches played.

He will have to hit the ground running against Drua who, despite languishing in 10th position in the standings with just one win – against the Rebels in Round Three – have been competitive in most of their games and they are sure to provide a tough challenge to the returning Wallabies captain and the Waratahs.

One-v-one battle to watch – Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders) v Shannon Frizell (Highlanders)

This week’s duel is between two of the game’s hardest working players, who will go head-to-head when these teams meet in Christchurch on Friday.

Blackadder has earned a reputation for being a tireless player in defence and attack. A typical flank that carries the ball well, makes a large number of tackles and covers so much of the field.

Blackadder sits on the side of a balanced pack and will be looking to dominate every collision and be a menace to the Highlanders defensive line.

However, Highlander Frizell will be looking to get one over his fellow All Black and, in doing so, lay down an early marker to be New Zealand’s first choice blindside flanker later in the year.

This season, Frizell has been immense with ball in hand, notching up 55 carries in Super Rugby Pacific to place him in the top 10 carriers. He is arguably a more dynamic player than Blackadder and always looks to create something from nothing.

The Highlanders pack relies on Frizell for go-forward ball and he has more responsibility than Blackadder in that sense.

It will be an excellent battle between two tireless warriors. Blackadder should benefit from those around him and put in another good performance whilst Frizell, if he continues with his current form, will shine. However, that will likely be in vain as the Crusaders are favourites to win this game.

Subplot to watch – Blues and Moana Pasifika to face off again

After going head-to-head in the corresponding match on Tuesday, the Blues and Moana Pasifika are set to do it all over again just four days later at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

That previous encounter was a rescheduled fixture which was initially set to be the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific tournament’s first match but was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Moana camp.

Moana Pasifika sprung a major surprise when they claimed a deserved 24-19 victory over the Hurricanes in Round Six and although they suffered a 32-19 defeat to the Blues earlier in the week, the Pacific Islanders gave a good account of themselves and were unlucky to get no rewards from that encounter.

How they react to that defeat just four days later is the million dollar question, although it should be a much tougher assignment as the Blues have recalled several of their first choice players for this rematch.

READ MORE: Michael Hooper: Australia captain set to make first Waratahs appearance since 2020

Blues