FANATIC: Hurricanes supporters Jefferson Riley (left) and Craig Elliott are heading south for the Super Rugby final in Wellington tonight. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
FANATIC: Hurricanes supporters Jefferson Riley (left) and Craig Elliott are heading south for the Super Rugby final in Wellington tonight. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
DESPAIR turned to elation for at least two Hurricanes tragics this week, when Rotorua mates Craig Elliott and Jefferson Riley got hold of tickets to the Super Rugby final.
Hurricanes and Highlanders' supporters are revving up for the Super Rugby final being held tonight at the Cake Tin in Wellington.
Elliott said he originally tried to buy himself and good friend Riley tickets to the final online but missed out. After calling in a "few favours" from another mate in Welly, he managed to get two tickets to a corporate box.
"We are going off like a frog in a sock," Elliott said, looking ahead to tonight's game. "I've always supported the Hurricanes and obviously copped quite a bit of flack from Chiefs supporters while living up here [in Rotorua]."
Tonight's final is the first Super Rugby final to feature two New Zealand teams since 2006. Elliott said he had never seen the Hurricanes - or any team for that matter - play as well as they had this season.
"Has anyone ever played a better brand of rugby?" he said. "The linking between the forwards and backs has been brilliant."
Riley said they attended the first pre-season match the Hurricanes played this year, so it felt like a full circle going to the final tonight.
Riley said Elliott and himself grew up in Wellington and had stayed loyal to the Hurricanes through the years. "Every year we say there is always next year, but hopefully we won't have to say that this time round."
Massive Highlanders fan Steven O'Callaghan flew down to Wellington yesterday from Rotorua after getting hold of a ticket. "I had a mate who managed to find me one. It was just the luck of the draw I think."
O'Callaghan said he went to Otago Boys' High School and grew up down south. He said he had always been a big follower of the Highlanders, and this season was definitely the pick of the lot. "It has been a revival sort of season. Everything is getting back to where it was."
Before heading south yesterday, proud father O'Callaghan dropped his daughter at kindy kitted out in Highlanders' gear. He said if he was to guess the score tonight he would say the Highlanders by 10 points. The game kicks off at 7.35pm.
Rotorua's Steven O'Callaghan and daughter Lydia O'Callaghan, 4, are looking forward to tonight's game. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER
