There are two New Zealand teams I can’t get a handle on – the Crusader and these here Hurricanes.

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All the talk about this franchise surrounds the monumental loss of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith in midfield, which is akin to removing the moon from the earth’s orbit.

Those are massive boots for initially Ngani Laumape and Vince Aso, but also Pita Ahki and Matt Proctor to try fill.

The key of course is to not try and replace them like for like because you simply can’t, but rather utilise what skills the current group have and the aforementioned quartet are talented if still raw at this level.

But when you look to the pack, there are two just as significant holes in the area that was always the Hurricanes weak spot – the tight five.

During his time with the Canes, Ben Franks never got the credit he richly deserved for helping sure up the Hurricanes scrum, providing some serious starch around the fringes defensively and clearing bodies at the breakdown, while Jeremy Thrush just worked and worked and worked, sticking his head places you wouldn’t put your hands on a weekly basis.

The loss of that duo, coupled with James Broadhurst (out with concussion issues) and now captain Dane Coles (hopefully out for just the opening week) means only Reggie Goodes remains from your first choice tight five from last year.

Hence the Hurricanes historic Achilles heel could come back to haunt them.

The reason why I have more confidence in the Hurricanes dealing with their key losses better that the Crusaders (we’ll peruse Todd’s boys on Saturday) is coaching, specifically John Plumtree’s ability to get the most out of the forwards.

The Hurricanes have a nice balance to the squad with good depth in the key areas, a healthy dollop of All Blacks – Coles, Barrett, Vito, Perenara, Jane, J Savea, Milner-Skudder – and a group whose time to press for higher honours is now – Shields, A Savea, Thomson, Black & Tahuiorangi (really like the way this young man plays the game at halfback … watch him)

She’s a tough old start for them though; away to my competition favourites the Brumbies (Canberra is a sod of a place to get – time for some direct flight please Air New Zealand), away to the defending champion in Dunedin then at trip to Eden Park to face who-knows-what-as-yet from the Blues.

No trip to Argentina means a traditional South Africa road trip, including just one game at altitude, which is a nice wee bonus, while the rest of the schedule is nicely spaced & involved minimal travel by comparison to some.

Prediction: 3th in NZ conference; 6th in Australian Conference; 8th overall

9 wins and a draw (vs Lions in Johannesburg) will get the Hurricanes into the playoffs again as a wildcard but they won’t advance beyond the first week:

• No sophomore slump for Nehe Milner-Skudder; look for the hot stepper to go even better than last year, and he was really good last year
• Ngani Laumape will prove to be the best of the players returning from league to union
• Dane Coles play will flourish even more as captain; Vaea Fifita will garner plenty of praise in a short period of time and coach Chris Boyd will put out another very popular YouTube video, this one explaining the flag referendum using garden vegetables.

2015 Regular Season Record

Won 14 Lost 2 (1st overall; 1^st New Zealand conference)

Scored 458 points (2^nd best)   

Conceded 288 points (2^nd best)

2015 Playoff Record

SF – Won 29-9 vs. Brumbies at Wellington

FIN – Lost 14-21 vs. Highlanders at Wellington

Finished: Beaten Finalists

Coaches

Coach: Chris Boyd

Assistants: John Plumtree & Jason Holland

2016 Squad

Props: Chris Eves, Reggie Goodes, Ben May, Jeff Toomaga-Allen

Hookers: Dane Coles, Motu Matu’u

Locks: Mark Abbott, James Broadhurst, Geoffrey Cridge, Christian Lloyd

Loosies: Callum Gibbins, Vaea Fifita, Iopu Ipou-Aso, Hugh Renton, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, Blade Thomson, Victor Vito

Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Te Toiroa Tahuiorangi

First fives: Beauden Barrett, Otere Black, James Marshall

Midfield: Vince Aso, Ngani Laumape, Pita Ahki

Back Three: Cory Jane, Matt Proctor, Julian Savea, Jason Woodward, Nehe Milner-Skudder

Wider Training Group: Leni Apisai, Michael Fatialofa, Tony Lamborn, Hisa Sisagi, Jamison Gibson-Park, Willis Halaholo, TJ Va’a

Schedule Breakdown

5 games – BYE (Round 6) – 6 games– BYE (Round 13) – 1 games - INTERNATIONAL WINDOW – 3 games

Home Games                                                      Away Games

Fri 18 March vs. Force (Palmerston North)       Fri 26 February vs. Brumbies (Canberra)

Fri 25 March vs. Kings (Wellington)                  Sat 5 March vs. Highlanders (Dunedin)

Sat 9 April vs. Jaguares (Wellington)                 Fri 11 March vs. Blues (Auckland)

Sat 23 April vs. Chiefs (Wellington)                  Fri 15 April vs. Rebels (Melbourne)

Sat 14 May vs. Reds (Wellington)                     Sat 30 April vs. Lions (Johannesburg)

Fri 27 May vs. Highlanders (Wellington)           Sat 7 May vs. Sharks (Durban)

Sat 2 July vs. Blues (Wellington)                       Sat 9 July vs. Waratahs (Sydney)

                                                                            Sat 16 July vs. Crusaders (Christchurch)

** Do not play Stormers, Bulls, Cheetahs & Sunwolves in regular season **

Pre-Season Results

Wed 3 February – lost 28-0 vs. Force in Gosford

Sat 13 February – lost 40-12 vs. Blues in Eketahuna

Fri 19 February – won 74-7 vs. Crusaders in Blenheim