Canes’ coming of age
For a bloke who was battered and sore, Hurricanes captain Dane Coles looked pretty good.
‘‘I’m [feeling] even better,’’ Coles said after leading the team to their first Super Rugby title, having beaten the Lions 20-3 at Westpac Stadium last night.
Plenty of Hurricanes teams have played more beautiful rugby. But few were this united as a group and none as successful.
After the heartbreak of losing last year’s final 21-14 at home to the Highlanders, here was a night when the Hurricanes put an end to 21 years of taunts about running out of puff when it matters.
‘‘Obviously JC [Jerry Collins] was a big part of the defensive theme this year. But you just look back at guys like Conrad [Smith], Norm Hewitt, all those ex-Hurricane boys that have tried to win the trophy, for me, that was a massive motivation.
‘‘Jeremy Thrush, I could go on. Christian Cullen, there were so many Hurricanes legends that couldn’t get that thing,’’ said Coles, pointing to the trophy.
‘‘Just to bring it to the franchise for the ex-players and the region, right up to the East Coast and Gisborne. I’m just so proud to be a Hurricane right now.
‘‘It’s bigger than us, like it’s bigger than this team. People deserve it that didn’t get it and just to say that the Hurricanes have finally won a championship is just outstanding and I’m just so proud, like I said, to be a Hurricane.’’
And why not? Their win over the Lions was built on a little bit of Beauden Barrett guile, but mostly old fashioned guts.
The Hurricanes went through the playoffs without conceding a try and played with the kind of heart that Coles typified in the decider.
Still hampered by the rib cartilage injury he sustained in the quarterfinal win over the Sharks, Coles had to leave the field after 43 minutes. But a bloody nose to replacement Ricky Riccitelli meant the skipper’s respite was shortlived.
‘‘I thought he was crazy,’’ manof-the-match Barrett said of when Coles came back on.
‘‘Like he went to go carry one and you could tell he didn’t want to make contact [with the opposition tacklers]. Colesy said during the week that he’ll play with one arm, there’s nothing that’s going to stop him and he’s been so driven this year and especially when he got the injury, so there was nothing that was going to get in the way for Colesy tonight.’’
The Lions enjoyed the bulk of the first-half territory and possession, but it was the Hurricanes who took a 10-3 lead into halftime. That might’ve been more had a Cory Jane try not been ruled out, after a lengthy look at some replays.
As it was Jane still scored the game’s first try, having plucked a Lionel Mapoe kick out of the air. Barrett converted from the sideline, to add to a penalty he’d kicked earlier. The first five-eighth added a further three points in the 52nd minute, before the try 17 minutes later that erased years of Hurricanes heartbreak. The Lions won a lineout against the throw but the tap-back was untidy and who should scoot through to score but Barrett.
His form has been sublime since he came back for June’s test series against Wales and it was fitting he finished the campaign with a flourish. For all the Hurricanes’ culture and work ethic, Barrett’s brilliance has been vital too.
‘‘I think it’s mostly enjoyment. I think the players around me, the forwards putting the ball on a plate. [Halfback] TJ [Perenara] has come into some great form recently,’’ said Barrett of what he puts his form down to. ‘‘When you can get that consistent good quality ball it makes my job a lot easier.’’
Whatever it is, it’s worked and it’s helped this Hurricanes team change the perception of the franchise forever. Not a bad night’s work, that.
Hurricanes 20 (Cory Jane, Beauden Barrett tries; Barrett 2 pen, 2 con) Lions 3 (Elton Jantjies pen). HT: 10-3.