Canes carry the weight if history
– Christchurch is often the springboard for a pleasurable road trip in New Zealand but the Crusaders’ home base has always proved a dead end for the Super Rugby title hopes of the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes face their demons again in the semifinal at Rugby League Park tomorrow when they take on the champions whom they have never beaten in a post-season match.
The Hurricanes have ventured south four times in the play-offs, including the infamous “foggy final” of 2006 when a thick mist at Lancaster Park turned the decider into something of a farce.
They left each time after a lesson in finals football from the competition’s benchmark side, and the weight of history will be a heavy burden for Chris Boyd’s team on the weekend.
That aside, the Hurricanes may be the only team capable of upsetting the eight-time champions, even if their form in the final rounds of the regular season was anything but inspiring.
Laden with All Blacks and boasting extraordinary firepower, the Hurricanes have won eight of their last 12 matches against the Crusaders, and edged them 29-19 at home in March after storming to an early 21-0 lead.
Most neutral fans will see the follow-up match in Christchurch in May as the more likely pointer to tomorrow’s clash, however.
Lacking seven first-choice players, the Crusaders forwards completely choked off the supply to flyhalf Beauden Barrett and the Hurricanes backs to claim a bruising 24-13 win in the rain.
The Hurricanes bring an unchanged starting 15, with Barrett’s brother Jordie starting in the midfield again rather than his usual position at fullback, after impressing in the No 13 jersey in the quarterfinal win over the Chiefs.
“Personally I think he’s a better 15,” said Boyd. “But he likes the midfield and he did enough for me last week to suggest that was the right way for us to start. I’m sure it won’t be how we finish though.”
All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea, whose season looked over after suffering an ankle injury against France, has been included on the bench but bracketed with Reed Prinsep should he fail to rove his fitness.
The Crusaders have made one change to their starting side, with All Blacks prop Joe Moody returning after missing the 40-10 quarterfinal mauling of the Sharks.
Against a machine-like Crusaders team determined to build a dynasty, the Hurricanes will need inspiration to mount an upset, a quality usually delivered by the brilliant Beauden Barrett.
“In the semifinal the big players get up and we expect Beauden Barrett to bring his best game, as with all their players,” said assistant coach Brad Mooar.
“We have to be at our best to beat the best.” – Reuters