Chris Boyd
Hurricanes’ coach Chris Boyd is backing his loose forward trio to step up in their crunch Super Rugby semifinal against the Brumbies on Saturday.
Boys feels Victor Vito and Ardie Savea’s Test aspirations will lift their game and believes Savea was very unlucky to miss out on All Black selection.
He is expecting a compelling response from the 21-year-old flank when he goes head-to-head with Wallaby openside David Pocock in Saturday’s showdown in Wellington.
Boyd believes his 21-year-old tearaway will be a solid replacement if All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, Sam Cane or Matt Todd should be struck down by injury.
“I think Ardie’s been particularly good for us this year. I don’t have any doubt his time will come,” Boyd said.
“The other guys are a good crop of openside flanks as well so he just has to suck it up and get on with it.”
Dynamic No 8 Vito made the All Black squad and is hounding a starting berth in competition with Liam Messam.
Boys said that Vito is proving his naysayers wrong who have in the past labeled him as a player who lacks physicality as a loose forward.
“The nice thing from Victor is that he’s often been branded as not tough enough. Well, he’s got the highest dominant tackle rate of anyone in Super Rugby this year.
“In the defensive area, he’s stiffened up really well.”
Complementing the duo will be either Blade Thomson or Brad Shields, who have rotated on the blindside flank all season.
The only injury issue surrounds hamstring niggles to wing Cory Jane and fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder, who were both included in the All Blacks group.
Boyd says wing Matt Proctor is available after recovering from concussion while James Marshall and Rey Lee Lo are other options to fill vacancies at fullback or wing.
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