Canes happy with Jackson
Two doses of referee Glen Jackson shouldn’t be a bad thing for the Hurricanes.
With Jackson in charge, the defending Super Rugby champions easily won the penalty count against the Crusaders last week. It finished 16-7 in the Hurricanes’ favour and now Jackson’s joined them in Canberra, for Friday’s quarterfinal against the Brumbies.
Jackson and Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara didn’t immediately hit things off last Saturday and there was a period where Brad Shields had to handle negotiations instead. Familiarity can breed contempt, but the Hurricanes would be fools to allow relations between themselves and Jackson to deteriorate.
‘‘I think we went pretty well with Glen last week. Obviously our penalty count was one of the best it’s been all year. Look, I think we played well under his rules and we adjusted to the way he refs pretty well,’’ Shields said.
‘‘Maybe having him two weeks in a row, and knowing the way he does ref, maybe that is a bonus. But if we get on the wrong side of him and start irritating him with the way we’re playing and the way we’re pushing the limits, then maybe it could be on the other side of the coin this week.
‘‘We’ve just got to talk to him in a polite manner and get the learnings during the game but, at the same time, play fair and put our best foot forward. If we’re doing our micro-detail and doing our role in our game, then hopefully we can take care of it ourselves and not bring the ref into the game.’’
As an aside, an Australian is controlling Saturday’s clash between the Crusaders and Highlanders. Over in South Africa, locals are doing both the Lions v Sharks game and the Stormers against the Chiefs.
As Shields says, though, it’s up to the Hurricanes to be good enough to lessen the impact the referee can make on the contest. In the recent British and Irish Lions’ series, for instance, the All Blacks didn’t assert enough dominance to minimise Frenchmen Romain Poite and Jerome Garces in the last two tests. Hurricanes: Nehe Milner-Skudder, Wes Goosen, Jordie Barrett, Ngani Laumape, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara (c), Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi, Mark Abbott, Jeff To’omaga-Allen, Ricky Riccitelli, Ben May. Reserves: Dane Coles, Chris Eves, Loni Uhila, Reed Prinsep, Callum Gibbins, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Otere Black, Cory Jane. Brumbies: Tom Banks, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Andrew Smith, James Dargaville, Wharenui Hawera, Joe Powell, Jordan Smiler, Chris Alcock, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter (c), Rory Arnold, Alan Alaalatoa, Josh Mann-Rea, Scott Sio. Reserves: Robbie Abel, Ben Alexander, Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, Blake Enever, Jarrad Butler, Tomas Cubelli, Jordan Jackson-Hope, Christian Lealiifano.