Hurricanes fullback Andre Taylor dots over the line for a try at McLean Park, Napier. Photo/Duncan Brown
Being one of seven children, Hurricanes and All Blacks first five-eighth Beauden Barrett is constantly hounded by his siblings for hand-me-downs.
His younger brothers Scott, Blake and Jordie regularly line up for his unwanted boots. They might have to wait a little longer than normal for the pair Barrett used in Saturday night's 25-20 win against the Bulls at Napier's McLean Park.
"They become more comfortable the more you wear them anyway," Barrett said after finishing the match with a 100 per cent goalkicking successes rate - six penalties and one conversion.
His tactical kicking was spot on and along with captain and centre and fellow AB Conrad Smith, Barrett pushed openside flanker Jack Lam hard for player-of-the-match honours. In fact, it was one of Barrett's tactical kicks which led to the hosts' only try by fullback Andre Taylor in the 18th minute.
Barrett put a clever cross kick across for winger and former Magpies fullback Cory Jane who passed it volleyball style to Taylor who dived over and with Barrett's conversion, the hosts had an early 10-0 lead.
Like Hurricanes head coach Mark Hammett, Barrett was full of praise for the Canes' forwards, who out-muscled the Bulls at scrum time and in general play which allowed Barrett to control the tempo well.
"Our forwards were awesome and gained confidence from their scrum. Our big boys stopped the Bulls A game ... their rolling maul," Barrett said.
Barrett, who does goalkicking training two to three times each week, said he was looking forward to the bye week which will enable him to play some golf.
"At the same time I've got work-ons, particularly my technique with my punting."
He was impressed with how regular winger Alapati Leiua functioned outside him in his first start at second five-eighth at this level.
"Pati isn't as loud as Tim [Bateman] but he makes up for that with his power," Barrett said.
While Leiua lost the ball in the confrontation area on a couple of occasions, he provided quality midfield punch on attack and was lethal on defence.
Hammett said the wins against the Crusaders (the Canes' previous match) and the Bulls were two big steps for his side.
"This team is capable of beating any other team on any week. But until we get consistency this isn't going to happen."
Hammett believed his team's bye had come at the right time, despite two consecutive wins.
"We're one of the latest teams to have it and if you count our pre-season games, we've had 10 weeks of play."
Hammett joked his team's liaison officer, long-time Hawke's Bay Rugby Union volunteer Warwick Howie, might have to stay with the team for the remainder of the season.
Howie had previously been the Bulls' liaison officer during the 2003 and 2011 encounters between the same two teams at McLean Park and the Bulls won.
"I first met Warwick when I came here with the New Zealand Marist team to play Hawke's Bay more than 20 years ago. It's been nice to have him on board ... those sort of blokes do a lot of good work behind the scenes which often doesn't get the recognition it deserves."
Howie's long-time mate and Bulls liaison officer Brian White had given Howie a couple of lemonade cans within 10 minutes of the final whistle. This was the bet the pair had agreed to before kick-off.
Lam's workrate was phenomenal. Like the Canes' tight five, the hosts' loose trio of Lam, No8 Victor Vito and blindside flanker Faifili Levave battled superbly against bigger opponents. Vito played his first Super game of the season and produced an admirable 67 minutes before being replaced by Brad Shields who was also making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a knee injury. The depth within the Canes' loose forward squad and options available to Hammett will be a major key in the side's quest for a playoff berth. Hammett was happy with the input of substitute prop Reggie Goodes, who replaced Magpies prop Ben Franks who collected a groin injury.
Magpies hooker Ash Dixon was full of vigour when he replaced Dane Coles in the 61st minute.
Julian Savea can be proud of his contribution and his powerful bursts always stretched the Bulls' scrambling defensive systems.
The Bulls took a pounding on the injury front. Experienced loosies Deon Stegmann and Dewald Potgieter were scheduled to return to South Africa today after collecting groin and bicep injuries respectively.
Wimpie van der Walt will be flown over to replace Stegmann, whilst a reshuffle amongst the forwards will see Grant Hattingh move to loose forward as replacement for Potgieter and former Springboks captain Victor Matfield replace Hattingh as lock cover.
Bulls captain and lock Flip van der Merwe praised the manner in which his team recovered from a 13-3 deficit to lead 20-19 with nine minutes remaining.
"We showed fight and there was a feeling we could hold on, but it wasn't to be."
Apart from Franks injury the Hurricanes weren't too bad off on the panelbeating front.