Hurricanes steaming ahead
A record start equalled and another rival vanquished, the Hurricanes have an elusive second Super Rugby title fixed within their sights.
Several steps in a typical championship-winning formula were completed during Saturday night’s win over the Gallagher Chiefs in Wellington — a dominant start, supremacy at scrum time, a steady head when things went wrong and requisite flair in the game’s key moments.
It all added up to a victory that might not have been their most impressive but, given the circumstances, was certainly their most encouraging.
The Hurricanes were coming off their bye — securing six straight wins before the break — and facing a team who had beaten them in each of the pair’s last five encounters.
The Chiefs had title hopes of their own — despite the ignominy of losing to the lowly Crusaders — and marched to last year’s final after racing past the Hurricanes.
On that occasion, they scored 25 second-half points without reply. On Saturday, a repeat appeared possible, surviving an early pummelling to somehow sneak in front after halftime. But these Hurricanes have the mettle that previous star-studded editions may have been missing, recovering to produce 19 unanswered points of their own.
The catalyst was one of the few remaining links to those teams of years past, teams whose abundant backline talent reaped a solitary Super Rugby crown in 2016.
TJ Perenara was wearing No 9 in that triumph over the Lions and restored to that jersey, asked to soften the blow of losing Cam Roigard, he came up with a brace to continue his pursuit of the Bus.
After Julian Savea had increased his lead atop the all-time try-scoring charts with No 62 for Moana Pasifika, Perenara capitalised on an unstoppable scrum to cross for his 61st before sparking the revival with his 62nd. The veteran halfback said his former teammate would be hearing from him within a minute of his return to the changing room — perhaps after he apologised to his pack.
“The first one, the forwards will probably be a little bit angry with me. They won four or five scrum penalties and I just pushed it over the line. I’ll be getting some stick for that,” Perenara told Sky Sport.
“It’s just cool to be back out there playing the game I love.
“Losing Cam hurts our team, hurts the way we want to play to an extent. But it’s my opportunity to come in and really stamp my mark on how I want to play and impact our team.”
Perenara marshalled an ascendant pack that pushed back their opponents early and often, led by a rampaging Brayden Iose. Playing at No 8, the 25-year-old began the match in a manner reminiscent of Ardie Savea. Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson experienced the unusual sensation of being bowled over by the young loosie, but the visitors deserved credit for getting back up.
Damian McKenzie inspired the response and had a hand in both tries, seeming set for another matchwinning display. Instead, the Hurricanes earned yet another win, equalling their best start to a Super Rugby campaign.
That came in 2015 and ended with a climactic defeat by the Highlanders on their own turf.
Hurricanes 36 (TJ Perenara 2, Brayden Iose, Kini Naholo, Asafo Aumua tries; Brett Cameron pen, 4 cons)
Chiefs 23 (Cortez Ratima, Emoni Narawa tries; Damian McKenzie 2 cons, 3 pens)