New and returning Wellington players in Hurricanes squad

Club Rugby | 29 October 2014 | Steven White

Seventeen current Wellington players have been named in the 2015 Hurricanes squad, including the return of Oriental Rongotai Midfielder Ma’a Nonu from two years away playing for the Highlanders and the Blues and several new faces ready to make their marks at the highest provincial level.

Upper Hutt Rams duo Jason Woodward (returning from the Melbourne Rebels) and Christian Lloyd are the two new faces in the Hurricanes' full contracted squad in 2015.

The other Wellington players in the squad are:Dane Coles (Poneke), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Marist St. Pat’s), Jeremy Thrush (Hutt Old Boys Marist), Brad Shields (Petone), Ardie Savea (Oriental-Rongotai), Victor Vito (MSP), TJ Perenara (Northern United), Julian Savea (Ories), Ma’a Nonu (Ories), Conrad Smith (Old Boys University), Cory Jane (Upper Hutt Rams), Reggie Goodes (Poneke), Motu Matu’u (Ories), John Schwalger (Norths) and Matt Proctor (Ories).

Leni Apisai (Norths), Adam Hill (OBU), Frae Wilson, (Wainuiomata) and Mike Kainga (Petone and Bay of Plenty) are in the 2015 Hurricanes Wider Training Group.

Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd said the return of Nonu and Reynold Lee-Lo specifically, along with the new faces contracted in midfield positions, were key additions to the Hurricanes roster.

“We’re really happy with the return of Ma’a and Rey. Along with Conrad, they make us extremely competitive in the midfield. We’ve also got Willis (Halaholo) and Vince (Aso), both very capable individuals, who will push and learn from the players around them.”

Lee-Lo played for the Hurricanes and MSP in 2013, before shifting to the Crusaders last season. It is unclear what clubs Halaholo and Aso will play for in Wellington next year when not on Hurricanes duty.

“We’re really pleased with the contracted squad that we have. If we look at those who have departed, we’ve lost some quality players to overseas clubs, but feel we’ve filled those spots well,” said Boyd.

Meanwhile, several current and former Wellington players have been selected in the other four New Zealand Super Rugby franchises in 2015, including:

Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs-Poneke), Hosea Gear (Chiefs-Hutt Old Boys Marist), Ged Robinson (Crusaders-Marist St Pat’s), Robbie Fruean (Crusaders-Northern United), Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders-Old Boys University), Marty Banks (Highlanders-Avalon), Shaun Treeby (Highlanders-Tawa), Mark Reddish (Highlanders-Oriental-Rongotai) and Joe Latta (Highlanders WTG-Poneke).?

The season gets under way on Friday, 13 February 2015, with the Crusaders hosting the Rebels in Christchurch, and the Blues hosting the Chiefs. ?As they have done for the past two seasons, the Hurricanes start their campaign in South Africa, against the Lions. The Highlanders drew the bye meaning they get an extra week to prepare for their first match – an exciting South Island derby at home in Dunedin against the Crusaders.

The 2015 Hurricanes squad is:?Ben Franks, Mark Abbott , Geoffrey Cridge* (Hawke’s Bay), Dane Coles, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Jeremy Thrush, Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Victor Vito, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Cory Jane, Jason Woodward*, Reggie Goodes, Motu Matu’u, John Schwalger, Christian Lloyd*, Matt Proctor (Wellington), Callum Gibbins, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Chris Eves, (Manawatu), James Broadhurst, Beauden Barrett, Iopu Iopu-Aso*, Blade Thomson, James Marshall, Chris Smylie (Taranaki), Vince Aso* (Auckland), Reynold Lee-Lo(Counties Manukau), Willis Halaholo* (Southland).

Wider training group: Mike Kainga (Bay of Plenty), Leni Apisai*, Frae Wilson, Adam Hill (Wellington), Otere Black* (Manawatu), Hugh Renton* (Hawke’s Bay).

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*New to the Hurricanes.?

Coaching staff:?Head coach: Chris Boyd; Assistant coach: John Plumtree; Technical advisors: Clark Laidlaw, Richard Watt