Rugby: Hurricanes make it six

Callum Gibbins (R) is congratulated on his try by teammate James Marshall. Photo / Getty Images

The Hurricanes machine rolls on.

Chris Boyd's side have made it six from six this season and their latest victims, the Melbourne Rebels, were dispatched 36-12 at Westpac Stadium in Wellington last night.

Boyd will be particularly pleased to have escaped with a bonus-point win given he chose to rest a handful of All Blacks, including first-five Beauden Barrett.

All Blacks need to skip two games this year to remain fresh ahead of the World Cup and Barrett is the most influential player in the Hurricanes.

Utility back James Marshall filled the void against the Rebels and while he was steady, he lacks the game management skills of Barrett.

Boyd has said the games against the Australian and South African sides are the prime opportunity to rest his internationals as the conference games against New Zealand teams are more important in the drive for the playoffs.

Due to the Cricket World Cup, the Hurricanes had to yet to play a game at Westpac Stadium this season before last night but they were greeted by an expectant crowd of 13,210 - that figure will grow if this winning streak continues.

The Rebels are a funny outfit. They don't create a lot and lack a genuine game-breaker in their backline, which means they try to grind teams in to the dirt.

Their attack generally shifts from side to side without much thrust through the middle but they've developed a habit of upsetting unsuspecting teams during the past few years.

The Melbourne-based side tipped over the Crusaders in Christchurch during the opening game of this season, which exemplified their ability to produce the unexpected.

Melbourne were able to hold on to the ball for large periods against the Hurricanes but the problem for the visitors was they were unable to do anything with it.

Here's a summation of the first spell: TJ Perenara scored a try, Mike Harris kicked four penalties for the Rebels and there were countless scrum resets. You don't need to know anything else.

The game burst in to some semblance of life in the second half as Cory Jane and Callum Gibbins scored, which gave the Hurricanes a 12-point advantage as the game pressed in to the final quarter of the game.

For Gibbins, it was a due reward for a workman-like effort in place of injured flanker Ardie Savea who will be out for up to six weeks with a damaged finger.

Savea's brother Julian was another of the players given a rest by Boyd this week and his brutal running and tackle-busting form was sorely missed by the Hurricanes.

Perenara, who had a mixed night at best, was given a yellow card for a deliberate knockdown in the 69th minute, which forced the Hurricanes to hang tough in the final stages.

But they were able to do so as the Hurricanes spoiled Rebels No 8 Scott Higginbotham's 100th game of Super Rugby. Replacement fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder added a late double to seal the bonus point.

The Hurricanes will host the Stormers at the Cake Tin on Good Friday next week as they shoot for seven on the bounce.

Hurricanes 36 (Nehe Milner-Skudder 2, TJ Perenara, Cory Jane, Callum Gibbins tries; Jason Woodward pen, 4 con) Rebels 12 (Mike Harris 4 pen) halftime: 10-12