Storm halves Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes will face off when Australia take on New Zealand in a World Cup semi-final — and they haven’t shied away from a cheeky jab at each other in the lead-up.
Munster and Hughes make up one of the most dangerous halves combinations in the NRL but will be doing everything they can to pick apart each other’s games in Saturday’s blockbuster clash.
In fact, the two have already started to pull each other apart.
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Speaking to Fox League’s Jake Duke, Munster was full of praise for the New Zealand halfback before revealing the nickname that Hughes isn’t such a big fan of.
“We’ve had some really good times, there were some low times as well obviously losing some big matches,” he said.
“But I love playing with him, he brings a lot of energy and creates a lot of stuff out of nothing.
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“He’s got that really sharp right foot, I call him the snake because he always somehow slithers through some teams and some tackles.
“It’s going to be a good battle, we know each other’s strengths inside and out so it’ll be a good contest and I can’t wait to get a tackle and rub it in his face.”
Asked if Hughes likes the nickname, Munster said: “Nah he doesn’t.”
“I don’t think he likes it too much but I call him that because he just slithers his way through defence… I don’t know how he does it,” he said.
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Hughes knows that nickname all too well — and intends on using that snakelike quality against the Kangaroos.
“He calls me the brown snake because I’ve got brown snake shoulders so I don’t know if he’s just trying to give me a rap there or not but hopefully I’m a bit of a snake this weekend,” he said.
Hughes took his shot back at Munster, revealing a couple of hilarious nicknames star five-eighth has picked up.
“Junkyard dog is one, which our physio has given him because he looks like one and he’s rough as hell,” Hughes laughed.
“Another one, they call him Munny. People think it’s because his last name is Munster but it’s because he’s on so much money and has been for a long time and will be for a long time.
“That’s probably the one I like to call him.”
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The battle between Storm players extends beyond Munster and Hughes with Harry Grant expected to come off the bench for the Kangaroos, Brandon Smith to start at hooker for the Kiwis and Nelson Asofa-Solomona joining him in the pack.
While the imposing Asofa-Solomona spends most of his time at NRL level at prop, he’s been playing on an edge for New Zealand — which is a little frightening for Munster.
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“I know he’s going to be coming for me so hopefully a little bit of ‘sweet chin music’ for him, a little bit of a swing arm… Nah I’m definitely going around the shoelaces,” he said.
“I don’t want to be copping a knee in the face, he’s a big boy and very hard to handle.”
Hughes knows New Zealand have a big asset in Asofa-Solomona and intends on using that to spook Munster.
“If we can make (Munster) tackle then hopefully he’s a bit less effective,” he said.
“I think ‘Cheese’ (Brandon Smith) is going to send Munster a photo of Nels… just to soften him up a bit, just a big photo of Nels.”
But all jokes aside Hughes is “really excited” for the “challenge” of going up against Munster.
“I was thinking about it earlier in the week coming up against him. I think I’ve come up against him once or twice, but haven’t really fully come up against each other on the same edge,” he said.
“I’m really excited for the challenge, he’s the best five-eighth in the world so to come up against that, that’s what you want — you want to challenge yourself against the best.
“I think he’s the best so I’m willing to put my best foot forward and give the bro a bit of a crack.”
