Good, but it could have been better
So that’s that, then. A Hurricanes season that promised so much has come to an end having not quite delivered.
Once upon a time that meant coming ninth and it says a lot about the kind of organisation the Hurricanes have become that anything less than a title is now viewed as a disappointment.
That’s a little unfair; after all, it’s not like the team played badly in 2017. Far from it. But with ability - and a building finals pedigree - comes expectation and, again, the Hurricanes didn’t quite live up to what they know they’re capable of. That’ll wound them more than it does anyone else.
So let’s look back on a campaign that ended with a 44-29 semifinal defeat to the Lions in Johannesburg.
Best performance
Has to be the 31-22 win over the Crusaders in round 17.
After Beauden Barrett’s late withdrawal, then Vince Aso breaking down in the warm-up, the Hurricanes quickly went 12-0 down. The Crusaders were dominant up front and it seemed inevitable that they would go on and win by plenty.
To the Hurricanes forwards’ great credit, they rallied tremendously and others, such as makeshift centre Jordie Barrett, were able to produce the touches of quality required to register a memorable comeback win.
Worst performance
Losing 20-12 to the Crusaders in round 12. The 26-18 round 3 defeat to the Chiefs is worth a mention as well.
It’s funny, you think back to that Crusaders game, particularly, and you remember a night when most things went wrong. The lineout and scrum were bad, the team got things wrong tactically and their basic catching and passing skills let them down too.
And yet the only lost by eight points. The Chiefs game wasn’t dissimilar, and featured a period when Ardie Savea and Michael Fatialofa were in the sinbin.
If the Hurricanes have progressed anywhere in recent years, it’s definitely in their ability to hang in there on the bad nights. Poor or disjointed teams don’t.
Best player
We’ll go through a few of the contenders and then reveal the bloke pipped the lot of them.
Some of the rugby Beauden Barrett played in the early rounds of the season was simply amazing. It seemed like every week you were reaching for new superlatives to describe the wondrous things he was up to.
Brad Shields, Jordie Barrett, Mark Abbott, Ngani Laumape, Jeff To’omaga-allen, Vince Aso, Ben May, Ardie Savea, Matt Proctor and Ricky Riccitelli were others who had good seasons.
But for his talk and intensity and workrate and leadership you can’t go past halfback TJ Perenara for player of the year. His value to the team was immense.
Most improved
Has to be Ngani Laumape. The ground he’s made since last year is phenomenal and he may go on to become an All Blacks regular now.
The second five-eighth is still a long way from being the complete player, but his recent progress suggests he has the attitude and appetite to keep pushing himself.
Mention needs to be made of lock Sam Lousi, too. He was up and down for Wellington last year, and began this Super Rugby season late, but has become a valuable member of the side.
Overall mark - 7/10
A good campaign. The emergence of players such as Jordie Barrett, Laumape, Lousi and wing Wes Goosen was encouraging, while To’omaga-allen, Proctor, Vaea Fifita and Riccitelli were among the other, more established, squad members who took their careers forward this season as well.
The increasing quality of Nehe Milner-skudder’s football - after almost two seasons spent watching - was another pleasing aspect.
There were times, though, when you felt the set pieces didn’t function as well as they could have and that the team battled at the breakdown.
They’re all keenly contested facets of the game and it’s very difficult to dominate on a regular basis. But it’s something the Crusaders seem to manage and the Hurricanes have to work towards being able to match or better that kind of prowess.
The Hurricanes have some very fine backs, but they can only play as well as the forwards let them.
The team always appeared well coached and well prepared and that certainly gave them an advantage over many other franchises.