The Real Deal

Hurricanes supporters have had reasons to get their hopes up before.  It's been that way since day one of official professional rugby with the 1996 Super 12 season opener when the Hurricanes combined with the Blues to put on the best advertisement the competition could have hoped for in a 28-36 loss, drifting off to finish 9th while the Blues went on to take the inaugural title. 2 years later the upped the ante to get us far as the semis before falling to the Brumbies in the stronghold that is Canberra. That was followed by a pocketful of midtable finishes until the 2003 season where they were one of 3 NZ teams to make the cut, with only the Brumbies in 4th spoiling Kiwi domination, before going down as many have before and after them to the Crusaders in Canterbury country. 2 seasons later they followed it up with another playoff spot only for the Crusaders to show them who was boss, the Hurricanes for many years struggling to show the class necessary for the big games versus big time opposition. Welcome to the inaugural Super 14 season and the team from Wellington made it easier on themselves by finishing the season strongly, taking 2nd spot behind nemisis Canterbury before going down 19-12 in an ugly (if you can call ugly what you can't see) encounter in a fog ridden final at Jade Stadium.  2008 was another semi appearance yet again to be haunted by a history making Crusaders outfit while in 2009 they had the joy of finishing above the Red and Blacks only to fall to the Chiefs in Hamilton in another NZ dominated playoffs.

What a joy....the Paekakariki Express, Christian Cullen

The new 6 team playoff set up that came along with the 2011 Super XV did the Hurricanes no favours with the team, to date, failing to make the cut.

They've had some great players, Captain Fantastic Tana Umaga, Jonah Lomu, the irrepressible Christian Cullen, that shark above water Lome Fa'atau, Jerry the Terminator Collins, cannonball Norm Hewitt, Weepu, Roger Randle, and a score of other ABs or nearly ABs from teams gone by that are too many to name. In the early 2000s they had a team stacked in the backs with the likes of Lomu, Cullen, Umaga, Nonu, Fa'atau, Alatini, and a pack comprised of Collins, Masoe, Vanisi, So'oialo, Tito and Hore but still couldn't match it versus the giants of Super Rugby.  Giants perhaps being the appropriate term as having a backline to dazzle and a lightning fast loose trio counted for nothing when the tight 5 was too small and inconsistent.  Even of recent years it's been same old same old for Wellington fans with a backline to entertain if they actually got any front foot ball. And let's not forget the turmoil surrounding the Hammett Nonu saga.

Lome Fa'tau

So roll along 2015 and what are we seeing? 3 victories on the trot: 2 in the republic and the 3rd a banana skin win on the return in Perth.  Bye round up then back to the unpredictable 'Canes of the past?  Hammett has moved on no doubt leaving the team in a better place mentally than it was prior to his arrival.  The return of the prodigal son in Nonu.  A backline reminiscent of seasons past with class from A to Z,  6 All Blacks, even a new Jonah who is worth one individual try per game, and a choice of 15s of whom surely one will pull on the black jersey.  The bye has come perfectly for the Hurricanes.  Yes, they are injury free, but this break will allow them to take stock and they will come back feet firmly planted and frothing at the bit.

Beast Mode

So what about the pack? The return from the republic of John Plumtree with some good old hardnosed South African defence creeping into the training and playing systems is evident and now the Hurricanes have a complete team.  They may have had some luck with both results in South Africa but you ride with those and if you can stay in the game that's the nature of the beast (regarding rugby officialdom these days...).  Gone are the days of helter skelter from their 22.  Gone are the frustrating cough ups any time a roll did get on.  And gone are the soft turnovers and leaky D.  Watch any one of the 'Canes games to date.  It's the pack that's standing up.  They have frontrowers who are all knocking on the All Blacks' door. They are knocking ball carriers backwards with aggressive defence and attacking the tackle areas intelligently otherwise spreading the defence from touch to touch.  Any turnover spells danger in Super Rugby and any turnover to the Hurricanes screams look out!

The scary thing is they haven't even worked on their attacking systems yet.  But the markers have been set in place and to finish your road trip unbeaten sitting pretty at the top of the table is unthought of for any team in seasons of late.  This team now has the confidence and belief and is ready to unleash.  Look out Super XV.  Come finals time this team will be there. This team is the real deal.