Rugby: Home benefit at stake for 'Canes

James Marshall of the Hurricanes chases a loose ball during the round 13 Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Sharks at Westpac Stadium. Photo / Hagen Hopkins

Super Rugby's two best teams of 2015 will finally meet at Westpac Stadium in Wellington tonight and the stakes are high.

The Hurricanes could all but settle the New Zealand conference, which would give them home advantage during the playoffs, while the Chiefs could keep the race alive with victory.

Due to a quirk of the draw, the teams will play each other twice during the final five weeks of the season with the return leg set for New Plymouth in the last round on June 13.

Despite having won 10 from 11 this season, the Hurricanes are well aware of the threats in the Chiefs.

"Everyone knows they're a good team. They've got some excellent players," Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara said. "They've been the foundation of the competition for the last few years.

"We just know that we've got to do our job. We've got to play our game. We know they've got game-breakers and stuff like that and they play a good game of footy as well and if they get things going, they're a tough team to beat."

One regular sight at Hurricanes training this season is Perenara continuing to put himself through his "extras" at the end of practice. As some players have showered and changed and are leaving Rugby League Park in Newtown, Perenara is still working on his passing.

Part of it involves a drill where he is strapped to a harness that restricts his movement and he powers through a few steps to dig a ball out from the middle of an old car tyre to throw another pass.

The drill is meant to mimic an on-field scenario where players may block Perenara's path to the base of a ruck, while he might have to unearth the ball from a sticky situation.

"The old man always told me that the hardest workers make the best players," Perenara said. "So I've always wanted to work hard and I enjoy working hard."

Tonight's game could be the last in Wellington for a handful of departing Hurricanes if they don't secure home advantage for the playoffs.