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Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith powers through a tackle during training at UCT.

ZELIM NEL

COACH Allister Coetzee has rubbished the notion that the Stormers will breeze through a radically depleted Hurricanes side when the teams meet in the season-opening Super Rugby clash at Newlands on Saturday.

“Being a team of unknowns is one thing, but they’re all New Zealanders and we know exactly what to expect from a New Zealand team,” Coetzee told reporters earlier this week.

The Hurricanes will begin their second season under coach Mark Hammett – who earned 29 caps for the All Blacks and made 81 Super Rugby appearances for the Crusaders between 1996 and 2003 – minus a host of frontline players.

No less than eight All Blacks have left Wellington since the end of last season, including Hosea Gear, Ma’a Nonu, Aaron Cruden, Piri Weepu, Bryn Evans, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore and John Schwalger, but Coetzee denied that this has made pushovers of the Hurricanes.

“It's still going to be a physical battle, their outside backs are all steppers who are going to ask questions, and when we play New Zealand sides there are certain philosophies that we focus on – our defence will have to be solid and we have to make sure we do the basics well.”

Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett highlighted the Stormers’ defensive system as the biggest obstacle facing his charges.

“We know what we’re up against,” Hammett said after a training session at UCT yesterday afternoon.

“They’re a pretty tough side that’s very good defensively. Last year, the Stormers’ winning start was pretty incredible – they didn’t concede a lot of tries and that wins you a helluva lot of games.”

The SA conference champs conceded a competition-low 18 tries during the league stage of the season and only the Waratahs boasted a lower total in the points-against category.

Jaque Fourie was hailed as a large and indispensable cog in the Stormers’ defensive plans but he has since moved to Japan.

A cheekbone injury to next-in-line outside centre Juan de Jongh was expected to thrust Springbok flyer Bryan Habana into a newlook midfield combination with Jean de Villiers when the team was named today.

“That’ll be interesting,” said 55-Test All Blacks centre Conrad Smith, who will make his 67th Super Rugby appearance for the Hurricanes this week.

“He’s a marvellous player and that’s the brilliance of having someone like that in the side – they can fill in anywhere. I’ve come up a lot against him on the wing and I’m sure he’ll be a handful if he’s given the job.”

Habana hasn’t started a first-class match at outside centre since 2006, but his counterpart may also show a bit of ring rust in the opening exchanges.

Smith, who has replaced Hore as team captain, only joined up with the Hurricanes two weeks ago after an extended post-World Cup break.

Hammett isn’t losing any sleep over it: “We’re looking forward to Saturday, we had a good, long pre-season and we’re well led by Conrad.

“I’ve been involved in Super Rugby for many years and I’ve never come across a harder working group.

“They are inexperienced, but this time next year you’ll be telling everyone there are a few Hurricanes stars on the rise. And there are, don’t worry – we’ll get our hands spanked a few times but we’ll also challenge.”