Peter Russell. Photo / Getty Images

Peter Russell. Photo / Getty Images

The Hurricanes in their earliest days were flakes. Wild buccaneers with a spirit of adventure but no guts and graft.

Theirs was a history riddled with the spectacular. A backline with Christian Cullen, Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu could go boom at any time.

It could often go splat as well and between 1996 and 2002, the Hurricanes had one semifinal appearance to boast about.

It was hardly a return befitting the second biggest region in the country.

But the Hurricanes, other than 1997 when they clicked, couldn't find their feet under coaches Frank Oliver (1996-99) or Graham Mourie (2000-02).

Then Colin Cooper, the quietly-spoken former Taranaki coach, came along.

He was appointed after one season as Robbie Deans' deputy at the Crusaders and had an immediate impact.

Cooper took the Hurricanes to the semifinals in 2003 and again in 2005, before going one step further in 2006, when they lost the famed "fog" final to the Crusaders.

Again the Hurricanes made the last four in 2008 and 2009 and the idea of them being flakes had to be revised. What Cooper has given the franchise is stability, credibility and belief.

Cooper has got them up to within reach of the summit. Super 14 success, or at least consistency of performance, has helped build legacy systems within the wider region.

The Wellington Academy programme is recognised as one of the best in the country.

It is a prolific developer of talent - Robbie Fruean, Victor Vito, Jeremy Thrush, Piri Weepu and Neemia Tialata have all come through.

The fact the Hurricanes have lost seven of last year's squad to other New Zealand franchises is evidence they are over-subscribed - like Auckland once were. Wellington can't find contracts for all the players they develop.

The vultures now circle the Hurricanes, hoping to pick off some of those on the fringes. As frustrating as that is, it is an acknowledgement of their expertise.

But there is still one giant step to be made for the Hurricanes. They are perennial semifinalists. They need to become champions. They need to develop a mentality that says they are no longer content just to be in the last four.

The Hurricanes are just that little step down from the Crusaders and Bulls because they don't quite have that conviction. They seem too easily satisfied that they have done enough by making it into the last four.