Hammett and the Hurricanes

Sounds like some sort of 60’s Merseybeat band with that title….anyway, as the 9/11 sized dust cloud settles over the Caketin after the biggest shakeup in the Hurricanes history, Canes fans need to assess where there support and loyalties lay for a team which often promises the world yet delivers little.

The Hurricanes from Day 1 have been the most unpredictable team in the Super comp. Able to rip even the very best teams apart, sometimes with a backline studded with more talent than most International teams could dream of and usually a world-class back row to add fire, the team has rightly or wrongly fostered a culture of ‘ad-hoc’ rugby and entertaining the crowds. The zenith of this culture was reached in the early 00’s with average crowds of over 30,000 at the Caketin and the curtain probably came down with the fog in 06.

However, under Colin Cooper there was more consistency with the Canes and more appearances in the finals without being able to take the next step to glory. Now the boss is Mark Hammett, a dyed-in-the-wool Cantab who has implemented massive changes to the Hurricanes. The senior players have long been an advantage and a hindrance. Why? Well, there are whispers that these senior players have exerted far too much influence over the team in the past to the point where the younger inexperienced squad members fear speaking out and in some notable cases (Guildford and Fruean) have led to the best young players in the world leaving for an environment which will bring out the best in them (Canterbury of course). In the latter it may have also been down to a genuine lack of current opportunities also as competition in the Cane’s backline is fierce and the depth has been frightening in the past.

So Hammett feels that in order to match what Canterbury deliver year in year out, the only way to rival them is to cut adrift the barriers to improvement. It is almost revolutionary to me, an outsider coming in and cutting my team to the core. After the bad run of results this year, mid season I was dead sure Hammett should be sacked. In my mind he should never have been appointed, it should have been either Jamie Joseph or an offer should have been made to bring John Plumtree back where he belongs. Now, I am hoping that he can retain Weepu and Gear – Jane looks to be on his way to the Force and Cruden will follow his mentor Dave Rennie to the Chiefs - otherwise we will have another season of mediocrity and then we will have rioting in the streets of Wellington.

In my honest opinion, if he can keep the rest of his marquee players and I can see a genuine change in culture and consistency I will back Hammett. If next year looks like another muddling mess, my drums will beat for a change and this time it has to be John Plumtree.

I think this is the right time to change. It shows that he's stamped his authority on the side showing that mediocrity will not be stood for.

Even with the players that are lost, there is still a lot of talent left in the region and some very promising young players who Hammett can mould the way he wishes.

Don't get me wrong MBTGOG, there is the talent in the region but if Cruden, who is a genuine talent but a bit flaky at times, goes then we have no real flyhalf of ability as I don't think Dan Kirkpatrick is going to kick on which is a shame as he was earmarked a few years back as the next big thing in World Rugby to come out of NZ.

Who can we rely on to get us out of the mire on the pitch without a general at flyhalf and those lieutenants around him. Luckily Conrad is staying, though he is injured most of the time!

We have the talent in spades coming through, we just need to be damn sure we can keep the experienced players too to guide these young fellas through what will be a trying season next year. A case in point is we've lost our starting front row plus replacements for next year, we have 2-3 NZ U20 props in the region but there will be no old heads around to pass that experience on...crazy!

mintie,

Without knowing the full situation there seems to be a lot of 1+1=11 to me going on with the Cruden situation. I personally would be quite surprised if he headed off.

I'm looking forward to seeing Charlie Ngatai get an extended run alongside Smith.

Front row is a problem especially next year but Jeff Allen looks a very promising player at tight head.

A fresh start always renews optimism MBTGOG! I am looking forward to seeing how our young pups get on up front. What worries me is that we can’t even muster up crowds of 15,000 or even 10,000 with household names, what hope have the young’uns got? More importantly, what support will turn up if we have another season of mediocrity?

MBTGOG wrote:I think this is the right time to change. It shows that he's stamped his authority on the side showing that mediocrity will not be stood for.

Not really, considering he's cut his senior ABs from the side, and will lose another 2 because of disgust at the lack of man management. I can't see anything mediocre about Nonu, Hore or Weepu or Jane.

In the manner of all rookie managers, he's merely axed the loudest voices who called his management into question when things started to go wrong.

It's arrogant and it's foolish. If these guys are lost to NZ rugby because of the damage done by Hammett, then he will have more than just the Hurricanes to answer to. He now needs to have a blinder next season to stop himself looking like a laughing stock and prematurely ending his brief career. How he plans to manage that without his four best players I'm not sure.

Bye Hurriances. Bye Bye Hammett.

This seems to mirror what has , and is, happening at the Ospreys.
Another team who :"on their day" could and did rip teams apart, their day rarely happened though, now Scott johnson with the same old crew that have always been there IC has decided to rip the heart out of the team and rebuild.

Coincidentally, there are those who would lay rose petals at the feet of Plumtree at the Liberty, a man who would return to previous gloryys.

Ospreylian – bog off, Plumtree’s ours next!

Grey,

I wasn't saying those players were mediocre, rather their performance.

I agree Grey and MTBGOG those players are NOT replaceable as early as 2012 so if that 4 or 5 go the canes will be in DEEP doo doo.

At this level replacing current AB's with 100's of test caps behind them is impossible. Theres no time for settling in and from the first game you either sink or swim. the canes started terribly in the first match of the season under Hammet against the highlanders at Westpac (I went to that one) and that was one of the most boring error filled, no obvious strategy matches Ive ever seen and the only difference from the previous season was the coach.the Canes will have players that have achieved nothing. In this tournament, having nothing gets you nothing. Ask the Rebels.

The canes are in serious trouble of being embarrassed next year and I wouldnt expect too many top bracket AB's would want to go there- given 4 of their own have just been sacked or have left- imagine the discussion amongst the AB's about hammet when the squad forms- not pretty I'd say.

So as well as having a coach that has achieved nothing, next year.....

they'll have a team that will achieve nothing. It is not the type of environment to blood a whole lot of young or new players. This is the big time and hardened seasoned players must be the core of the make up or its going to be a very very long year for them.

Hammets career appears to be about to plunge down the toilet.

The only thing I can see from here is a stint coaching Wales.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Agree with most of that, except the 'sorry' bit...oh and the coaching wales bit...

Hurricanes have been a side that have generally had good to great backs and a good mix at 6/7/8 but have never been strong 1-5.

Considering the number of teams that have not won a super title (most) nor even made a final (many) it is a little tough to say the team has underperformed.

I would say given the Hurricanes weakness in the tight five we have done marvelously well.

Getting rid of a troublesome 12 isn't going to solve our tight 5 problem.

I could take it if an experienced coach like Henry said Nonu is too much trouble despite his ability but its hard to accept it from an inexperienced coach like Hammett.
Worse case scenario Cruden, Weepu, Smith, Gear and Jane pack it in as well. Then we are FXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

chewed_mintie wrote:A fresh start always renews optimism MBTGOG! I am looking forward to seeing how our young pups get on up front. What worries me is that we can’t even muster up crowds of 15,000 or even 10,000 with household names, what hope have the young’uns got? More importantly, what support will turn up if we have another season of mediocrity?

Hi mintie, you may find that playing the young guns brings some of the missing 15/20k supporters back. A fresh start may work for disillusioned fans just as much as it could work for the club.