Showdown shapes as a big mid-year exam

Call it the big mid-year exam.

There’s no school holidays in Super Rugby Pacific. Instead, the Hurricanes and Chiefs are rolling into class with some significant marks to be attained.

More important tests await in two months, of course, but tonight’s showdown in Wellington shapes as an important gauge for both teams as to whether they really may be able to come out top of the class.

Each of them has been studious to date, their attendance a thing sure to please the new Government (even if the Chiefs have skipped a couple of classes along the way), and earning top scores on several pieces of work handed in.

But now comes an assignment that Clark Laidlaw has been pondering and preparing for for the best part of 11 months, since he was named Hurricanes coach.

Having set the pace last year before tripping at that final hurdle, the Chiefs are still on the hunt for a first title since 2013, and despite blips against the Reds and Crusaders so far this season, lurk in fourth spot, four points off the pace, coming off the biggest win in their history, and still competition favourites at the TAB.

So, being the only unbeaten team in the competition, having gone into last round’s bye a perfect 6-0, which has included wins over the other three Kiwi sides, is this now the Hurricanes’ biggest test of the season so far, then?

“I would think so,” Laidlaw said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for how the Chiefs can play. From my end, getting to watch them last season, not being involved in Super Rugby, they were the best team, up until that last game.”

Equally, the Chiefs are primed to see where they are really at, too, having mixed brilliance with periods of switching off, and not enjoying the same kind of dominance