Canes into semis fourth year in a row
Boyd’s team extend home record to 22 out of 23 with quarter-final win over Chiefs
Niall Anderson
Make it four semifinals in four seasons for the Hurricanes, with their golden era seeing another spot booked in the final four with a resilient victory over the Chiefs.
They had to fight for it, being locked in a tight battle before a second half surge earned a 32-31 victory that sends them back to a familiar place and ends the storied 179-game Chiefs career of Liam Messam.
Frankly, it’s unfair the Chiefs had to bow out at this stage. Arguably the third best side in the competition, Super Rugby’s hopelessly idealistic playoff structure denied them a deserved home quarter-final, instead having to travel to Wellington, where they ran into a more explosive Hurricanes outfit.
The Hurricanes are probably the team with the best chance of toppling the title favourite Crusaders, and sure enough, they’ll likely get that chance next week, if the Crusaders deal to the Sharks as expected.
Last night will have been perfect preparation, with the Hurricanes avenging last week’s defeat to the Chiefs in a derby that was typically lively and bruising in equal measure.
Chris Boyd’s men have now won 22 of their last 23 home games but home advantage is even more pivotal in Kiwi derbies — something that doesn’t bode well for their hopes next week if the Crusaders prevail tonight.
Of the 12 local derbies held this year between the four Kiwi playoffs sides, only once has a side won away. The Chiefs were benefactors of this trend last week when they tipped over the Hurricanes in Hamilton but they found themselves outplayed as the Hurricanes whirled past them in the Wellington wind.
The conditions played a factor within the first minute — Damian McKenzie threw a hopeful long pass on halfway but as the ball got caught in the blustery wind, Julian Savea plucked it out of the air and raced away for a startling early strike.
Remarkably, Savea nearly repeated the dose on the very next possession, snagging a misplaced Brad Weber pass, but his dash to the line was cut down by a desperate chase.
The Hurricanes were looking for knockout blows but their eagerness went against them shortly after, with Beauden Barrett’s attempted intercept only managing to ruin his side’s defensive alignment, and two passes later, Weber was scoring by the posts.
The Chiefs, who still haven’t beaten a Kiwi team in the playoffs since their last title in 2013, were playing themselves into the clash, mounting pressure and playing patiently with ball in hand.
The Hurricanes had to rack up a serious tackle count in the first half but they made the most of their possession when it arrived, with TJ Perenara ruled to have just clung on as he scooted over from close range to put the hosts ahead at the break.
It was that clinicality that proved pivotal. While the Chiefs forced the Hurricanes into missing a staggering 41 tackles, they had little to show for it, and were guilty of coughing up the ball when opportunities emerged. Conversely, when the Hurricanes reached the Chiefs’ red zone, they struck, with first Perenara, then Ben Lam finishing off the Hurricanes’ significant periods of pressure to build a 32-17 lead.
The Chiefs had one surge left in them, scoring twice in the last two minutes, but by then it was too late, with the Hurricanes — once again — getting the job done at the business end of the season.
Hurricanes 32 (TJ Perenara 2, Julian Savea, Ben Lam tries; Beauden Barrett 2 cons, 2 pens, Jordie Barrett con) Chiefs 31 (Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Lachlan Boshier tries; McKenzie 3 cons, pen, Charlie Ngatai con) Halftime: 17-10