Call it luck or good judgement, but the Hurricanes are looming as the most unpredictable threat in the run to the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs.
Depending on tomorrow night’s performance and result – a home match against a Highlanders side who have battled hard all season for few rewards – Clark Laidlaw’s men, currently sixth on the table, may even quickly emerge as New Zealand’s biggest threat behind the table-topping Chiefs.
The key to their rejuvenation – after an inconsistent start to the season as they clearly missed the sabbatical-bound Jordie Barrett – is selections of the right players in the right positions. This was notable with Ruben Love at first-five and inside back Brett Cameron returning from injury in Wellington tomorrow will only increase the depth.
Bailyn Sullivan is a dangerous outside back who scored four tries against the Chiefs recently – making up for Kini Naholo’s season-ending knee injury – and Billy Proctor is the form centre in New Zealand.
Cam Roigard’s quality at halfback speaks for itself and Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, Zach Gallagher, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Brad Shields, Peter Lakai and Brayden Iose are an in-form pack and full of confidence.
Laidlaw tomorrow also has the luxury of being able to bring the inspirational Du’Plessi Kirifi on the bench, although a similar move backfired in round four when they were beaten to the punch at the breakdown by an Ardie Savea-inspired Moana Pasifika (as if there is any other sort these days).
Timing is everything, of course, and the Hurricanes appear to have that too. Such was their second-half demolition of the Chiefs before last weekend’s bye, that aspect appears more favourable than it was last year.
In 2024, the Hurricanes appeared almost unstoppable during the regular season.
They beat the Blues, Crusaders, Highlanders and Chiefs (twice) to top the table (by one point over the Blues), and were on their way to hosting the grand final after winning playoff games against the Highlanders and Rebels. However, that was before they ran into a Chiefs inspired by new star Wallace Sititi and far better equipped for knockout rugby.
Overall, Laidlaw’s faith in Love in the No.10 jersey appears the most significant factor in his team’s resurgence.
Love cut a frustrated figure at fullback during the Crusaders’ 31-24 victory at Sky Stadium last month – he had a dig off the ball against his opposite Will Jordan – and his distribution and leadership skills are such that he needs to be closer to the action at this level.
“He wants to take ownership of stuff, he wants to know the why; he wants to drive the team there’s a lot of attributes of our traditional first-five,” Laidlaw told media recently of his new No.10.
“We’re really enjoying that, but he doesn’t have to have 10 on his back and start at 10 to do that, we need him to do that whether he’s playing 15 or 10.”
Love, 24, has played one Test (against Japan last year) when he replaced Stephen Perofeta at fullback and scored two tries in three minutes.
A case can easily be made that he is the form first-five behind Chiefs’ playmaker Damian McKenzie this year which will clearly boost his chances of being selected in Scott Robertson’s squad for the July internationals against France. Indeed, Love is likely giving Robertson something to think about in terms of his back-up No.10.
The Super Rugby championship is invariably won by the team with the best first-five, and it’s here that the Hurricanes, who have only one title to their name (2016) could have the edge that will allow them to make up for lost time.
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