Rugby: Hurricanes pleased with ugly win

Matt Proctor of the Hurricanes is tackled by Marcell Coetzee of the Sharks during their Super Rugby clash, won by the Hurricanes, 32-24. Photo / Getty

Wins like this were rarely delivered by the Hurricanes in recent years.

Ugly, gritty or gutsy; call it what you will, last night's 32-24 victory over the Sharks at Westpac Stadium in Wellington was another example of how far this team has come under coach Chris Boyd.

Without All Blacks Beauden Barrett (knee), TJ Perenara and Julian Savea (both rested) they made it work, despite a foreign inside back combination with Chris Smylie at halfback and James Marshall at first-five.

Four tries also ensured they banked a bonus point as they opened up a 10-gap over the Chiefs at the top of the New Zealand conference.

"I've got to say, it's not very often you're satisfied to win ugly but I'm actually really happy," Boyd said.

"We didn't play particularly well. I think they threw the kitchen sink at it. It was the last roll of the dice for them, probably."

After conceding 48 points in a one-sided loss to the Highlanders last week, the Sharks knew their trip to Wellington was crucial but their eighth loss of the season was probably terminal for their playoff aspirations.

Winning tight games hasn't been a thing the Hurricanes have specialised in previously but in 2015 they're a renewed bunch who have won 10 from 11.

The playoffs seem a formality and home advantage wouldn't be out of the question. Skipper Conrad Smith, the longest-serving Hurricane on the roster, is enjoying the ride in his final season with the franchise.

"I think there's good maturity within the group," Smith said. "There's a bit of confidence, we've had a group that's been together [for a while]. I think the new coaching team has added something really good to the team and there's a real belief and that's built up probably from disappointments.

"For me, last year, I thought we should have been better than what we were and that sort of carried through so that was pretty motivating for us this year."

Good teams find a way to win when the heat is on and last night's victory was built on that notion. The Hurricanes' defence also helped in the first half as they absorbed plenty of pressure.

You could argue the next five weeks will be the making of this vintage.

All of their remaining games are against Kiwi foes - they will play the Chiefs twice - and even a trip to meet the Blues at Eden Park on May 23 won't be a sure thing given the way John Kirwan's side get up for home matches.

The Hurricanes will be without Barrett for the next two weeks as he continues to recover from injury and how Marshall beds in with the backline during the coming games will be crucial to their success.

"Any minutes he can get in the saddle will help," Boyd said of the utility back.
Marshall is used to playing at fullback and you'd have to cast your mind back a while to when he last had a decent run of games in a No 10 jersey.

Boyd still has to juggle resting a few of his All Blacks, including Smith and second-five Ma'a Nonu who each need to sit out one more game. The dependable Rey Lee-Lo will be called in to action to cover their absence.

One game where they're unlikely to rest anybody is next Saturday's crunch match with the Chiefs in Wellington, which could go a long way to deciding who will top the New Zealand conference.

Prince Harry watched on from the stands last night and he met the players after the game as the Hurricanes sung their team song before Smith presented him with a jersey.

Hurricanes 32 (Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Reggie Goodes, Jeremy Thrush tries; James Marshall 2 pen, 3 con) Sharks 24 (Bismarck du Plessis, Sibusiso Sithole, Odwa Ndungane tries; Francois Steyn pen, 3 con) halftime: 14-10