Hurricanes set to repay '16th man'

The Hurricanes are hellbent on repaying their long-suffering "16th player" -- a collective bunch who are consistently the best Super 14 rugby supporters but have often trudged away disappointed.

It took just a few hours on Wednesday for nearly all the remaining 16,000 public sale tickets to be snapped up for tonight's semifinal against the Waratahs, and less than 100 of the total 34,500 were still unsold late yesterday.

The loyal yellow and black-clad fans, some of whom drive up to five hours from New Plymouth for a home match, finally get to experience a home semifinal after an 11-year wait.

It is one of several factors giving Rodney So'oialo's Hurricanes the edge tonight at Westpac Stadium, most notably the fact that the Waratahs are yet to beat them in five trips across the Tasman since the Super 12's inception in 1996.

But as long-time Hurricanes fans know, this is just the time when things can go awry when it all seems set up to perfection.

Veteran first five-eighth David Holwell, named ahead of Jimmy Gopperth for his 75th appearance, admitted it was a perfect time for everything to click after losses in their previous three away semifinals.

"We've got a great crowd and over the years they've supported us whether we've won or lost. It's a good way to return the favour to the crowd," he said.

The Waratahs have more scope to improve after an ordinary first half in last weekend's match in Sydney when the Hurricanes did the damage early before clinging on bravely, 19-14.

Areas for Hurricanes improvement are their set piece and ball retention which was lacking in the second half last week when the Waratahs hammered away at the line.

"Teams can get beaten at home, it's the way of the professional world where teams learn to win away. They've got a lot of firepower and a lot of Wallabies who've been doing it for a long time," in-form flanker Jerry Collins said.

"We're under no illusions our performance has got to lift if we're to win this game."

Collins and Ma'a Nonu were the stars last weekend, finally sparking a Hurricanes attack which has spluttered on occasions this year.

They will likely try to smash the Waratahs' inside backs again tonight but Holwell -- coined "Steady Eddie" by coach Colin Cooper this week -- said it wouldn't be all razzle dazzle.

"We've got a lot of attack out wide but you've got to vary it, you can't just go to them all the time. You've got to have faith in your forward pack and keep the opposition guessing."

The Hurricanes had a closed training session yesterday while the Waratahs strolled around Westpac Stadium, scene of their 24-26 loss last year despite scoring four tries to three.

Coach Ewen McKenzie expected just 200-300 Waratahs supporters but believed the home advantage had little bearing.

"The crowd's not really going to have a part in the play, particularly if we can get some points early.

"That will keep the crowd quiet and we've done that before overseas."

He preferred to be playing in New Zealand in front of a "disciplined" crowd, rather than in South Africa.

He admitted he had been subject of "friendly banter" about the likely result on Wellington's streets yesterday, but expected nothing less in enemy territory.

- NZPA