Hurricanes go on the attack with gameplan
The Hurricanes’ greatest enemy is themselves.
Sometimes when you’re as good as the Super Rugby champions are, and possess as many strike weapons, there’s a temptation to get cute. Why spend 60 minutes creating a platform to win, when you can score from a chip kick anytime you want?
The Hurricanes’ hierarchy talk about earning the right to play. Often, though, it is mere talk.
Beating the Reds in Brisbane last week ought to have been a formality. Instead the Hurricanes led just 19-12 heading into the final stages.
A few factors contributed to that, but none more so than the team’s impatience. There was rarely a sense that the Hurricanes were building towards something; just a realisation that they were determined to be brilliant and maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn’t.
Now come the Waratahs, a team whose performances so far this season are well down on their potential but who possess the ability to embarrass the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium tonight.
The Hurricanes have made the right noises in recent days, mentioning the Waratahs’ physicality and size and the need respect and combat that. But it
appears that Plan A is still to roll out the champagne footy.
‘‘I like attacking, I like getting the ball in hand and we’ve got players that like attacking as well and the more opportunities we give them, the more times it’ll work for us,’’ Hurricanes stand-in captain TJ Perenara said.
‘‘Yes, we might make errors every now and then, but I can live with that. We’ve got so much upside in some of our players and their ability to attack from anywhere
on the field. Like I say, we might make an error that will hurt us every now and then, but that’s a risk I’m prepared to take.’’
It will be interesting to see the degree to which weather curtails those bold plans. The Hurricanes showed an ability adapt to unfavourable conditions last year, but the 2017 model has yet to demonstrate the same resolve. Their best opportunity came in round three against the Chiefs and they lost 26-18.
If tonight’s match comes down to a slugfest in which goalkicking is critical to the outcome, the Hurricanes have decided which of the Barrett brothers is getting first crack off the tee.
‘‘Jordie will kick,’’ said Perenara. ‘‘Beaudy’s still got a side strain and it’s affecting his kicking a little bit.’’
The Waratahs welcome back regular kicker Bernard Foley, after a few weeks nursing concussion symptoms. He’s a fine allround player, with Israel Folau, Michael Hooper, Dean Mumm and Sekope Kepu others you’d put in that bracket.
Hooper is particularly impressive, while giant lock Will Skelton is another who’s capable of causing the Hurricanes problems.
The loss of loose forward Ardie Savea will be keenly felt by the Hurricanes, while the abrasive qualities of regular captain Dane Coles would’ve been handy for this match too.