Hurricanes eye another conference leader's win streak

A week after defeating the Australian conference leading Reds and ending their seven-match unbeaten streak, the Hurricanes this weekend face the New Zealand conference leading Blues.

The Blues have won six matches on the trot, a record under coach Pat Lam, but the Hurricanes – who are all but out of final’s calculations – would like to at the very least close the season out as a giant killer.

Their 28-26 win over the Queensland Reds was all the more remarkable for the fact that key All Blacks were missing, yet it was the return of Aaron Cruden that sparked the Hurricanes vaunted running game.

He took on the line constantly and played the same style of flat attack that the Reds have employed to great success in the last season and a half courtesy of Quade Cooper.

Cruden’s well taken options on attack will be something that the All Blacks coaches would have taken note of; with the current regime famously employing the flat offensive style (also coined the ‘Randwick’ attack) with mixed success in 2004.

Of further interest will be the dual playmaking combination of Cruden and new second five-eighth Daniel Kirkpatrick, a dynamic duo that could thrive if the Hurricanes produce as much quality ball as they did in the first half against the Reds.

Kirkpatrick, who replaces Charlie Ngatai (broken ankle, suffered in a collision with Scott Higginbotham), is the only change to a settled and happy Hurricanes team.

Coach Mark Hammett has remarked that the camp more positive than they have been all season, and reports indicate that the intensity and execution displayed in this week’s training sessions have been of a high standard.

He did though stress that the team still needed to follow the processes on field.

“A lot of that is around attitude as well,” he said.

“The trainings have been outstanding, but at training you're not against opposition coming back at you a hundred miles an hour.”

“The clarity and the understanding of how we want to play is really good, but if we go to B before we get A done we get in trouble.”

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2011 Investec Super Rugby preview - The Hurricanes

As always the Hurricanes have a marvellous roster, buttressed by 13 All Blacks, the bulk of which are considered test incumbents.

Indeed the six-time semi finalists – five of those appearances coming since 2003 – will boast a 947 Super Rugby capped group, a core of experience which will be vital to break what has become a fair drought for the prolific rugby producing region.

Either in the guise of the Hurricanes or Wellington, semi finals and numerous finals (in the ITM Cup) have been achieved by the region, but there has been no Super Rugby title.

Are they the strongest team not to have claimed the crown?

To put it broadly, one feels that if the Hurricanes had some small defining factor to add to their already potent arsenal, they could go on to claim success.

Surely inspiration could be drawn from the competition’s most successful team in the Crusaders, a side that has eliminated the Canes four times they have crossed swords in the top four finals (once in the 2006 final).

That je ne sais quoi for the Hurricanes could be the addition of new head coach Mark Hammett, a Crusaders title winner and key member of their backroom team.

The former All Blacks forward will replace Colin Cooper, who departs as the second most capped Super Rugby coach of all time.

While the new Taranaki coach was well regarded, surely it will smart that he could not take the title with such talent at his disposal, and one cannot forget that he too came from Crusaders territory.

Yet former test rake Hammett (with 29 All Blacks tests, 81 Crusaders and 76 Canterbury caps) has been forward's advisor and assistant to both Robbie Deans and Todd Blackadder since 2006.

The Hurricanes, well regarded as a potent attacking unit, will likely have a fair amount of starch and patterns integrated into them by the man fondly regarded as the Hammer.

This will suit the perennial contenders well.

They have long had the arsenal to match it with the big teams, and indeed when firing no side in the competition has been able to compete.

Yet ‘when firing’ is a statement that does not fit well with a side that hopes to be champions, and there is no doubt that the Hurricanes prominent weakness is occasional inconsistency.

However it will not only be Hammett who could change this, but the increasing seniority of their squad members, combined with the desperation of some of their All Blacks.

Piri Weepu will be out – even with a best case scenario – till March, which does rob the Hurricanes of a key player before their campaign even begins.

Karl Lowe will also miss the majority of the season.

Yet the rise and growing leadership of Conrad Smith will mean that the Hurricanes will have a world class player and general to kick off the season, and much will rest on the talented centre’s shoulders.

Also notable will be the attacking class of Hosea Gear, who has had his potential (long known to Wellington fans) realised with a stunning performance on the All Blacks Telecom Backing Black end of year tour.

However a host of All Blacks will be frantic to remind selectors of their class.

Two players will still be heavily on Graham Henry’s mind, yet their status as automatic selections did dim slightly towards the end of 2010.

Ma’a Nonu, whose incumbency as the All Blacks second five-eighth has been usurped by the emergence of the 109kg (based on recent boxing training reports) Sonny Bill Williams, will want to impress why he can be at his finest the best number 12 in the game.

While Cory Jane, one of the most consistent and reliable All Blacks wings in recent memory, will want to stamp his mark on the game, ironically with a chief rival (in Gear) playing with him in the back three.

But numerous players, from great warhorse Rodney So’oialo, to last year’s fringe All Blacks Aaron Cruden and Victor Vito, to forgotten prop Neemia Tialata and lock Jason Eaton, and returning hooker Andrew Hore – will all want strong campaigns to impress for a potential World Cup berth.

That desperate edge that so many key players will bring to the Hurricanes 2011 campaign could be the defining factor that could enable the star studded franchise to go all the way.

They will need to arrest the aforementioned consistency.

Last season three wins to open their campaign led to a horror middle patch, kicking off with a shock loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. That 28-12 defeat led to four losses in a row, and with a draw to the Crusaders and a bye meant they went from round four to round nine without a victory.

They kick off the 2011 Super Rugby season with a good draw, hosting the Highlanders and Crusaders before taking their first bye in round three. They will not play a match on the road (against the Blues) until round five, and will play the Rebels in Melbourne as their first ‘cross-conference’ opponent.

It is arguably the best beginning to the tournament of any team, and one that the Hurricanes will need to capitalise on if they are to break their title drought.

Roll of honour: Finalists 2006, semi-finalists 1997, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009
Last season: 8th (7 wins, 1 draw, 5 losses)
In 2010: 7th equal best attack, 7th best defence

Notable results
Home team first

Hurricanes 47 – 22 Western Force (round two)
Brumbies 13 – 23 Hurricanes (round ten)
Hurricanes 44 – 21 Reds (round 13)

HURRICANES 2011 SUPER RUGBY ROSTER

Fullbacks: Cory Jane
Wingers: Hosea Gear, Alipati Leiua, Julian Savea, Andre Taylor
Midfield: Charlie Ngatai, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith
First five-eigths: Aaron Cruden, Daniel Kirkpatrick
Halfbacks: Chris Eaton, Tyson Keats, Piri Weepu
Loose forwards: Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, Serge Lilo, Karl Lowe, Rodney So'oialo, Victor Vito
Locks: James Broadhurst, Jason Eaton, Bryn Evans, Mark Reddish, Jeremy Thrush
Props: Michael Bent, Jacob Ellison, Anthony Perenise, John Schwalger, Neemia Tialata
Hookers: Dane Coles, Laurence Corlett, Andrew Hore

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