KEY POINTS:
A call to arms has been issued as the Hurricanes fight for Super 14 rugby survival against the Cheetahs in South Africa on Sunday morning (NZT).
Fullback Cory Jane said their season was on the line and it was now or never as they sought to stay afloat
in increasingly choppy waters.
"It's make or break this weekend, if we don't perform it could be our season gone," Jane said.
Poor option-taking and sloppy handling errors have told the story of the Hurricanes' season to date, leaving their playoffs ambitions in the balance as the countdown to the semifinals intensifies.
A 12-20 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend has left the Hurricanes in sixth place and within touching distance of the top four.
However, their path to the playoffs is logjammed, with just three points separating the fourth to ninth-placed franchises.
That means they have everything to play for against the 13th-placed Cheetahs in Kimberley, with Jane going as far to say their season is on the line.
Jane described his side's performance against the Stormers as "a shocker," and warned that a repeat of that against the Cheetahs could cause irreparable harm to their playoffs hopes.
"We let ourselves down with basic errors, we need to pick up our skills a bit more," he said.
Those mistakes were not confined to the game against the Stormers, but instead followed a similar pattern this season.
"I think we let teams get to us. Then we put pressure on ourselves when we don't need to at the time.
"We try to push a pass when we don't need to or try to be too fancy. In the heat of battle we've tried to do something too fancy; when it doesn't come off we end up paying for it."
Jane said there was no question the Hurricanes boasted a skilled team, but they had been found wanting in their search for consistency.
Coach Colin Cooper has responded to the loss to the Stormers by making significant changes to his backline, promoting teenage wing Zac Guildford to the starting 15 in place of Shannon Paku and dumping first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth for Willie Ripia.
It will be Ripia's first start for the Hurricanes after he made one appearance for the Highlanders in 2006.
Up front, the absence of injured loose forward Jerry Collins will be keenly felt, with Cooper naming fellow All Black Chris Masoe in his place at No 6 and slotting Scott Waldrom on to the openside.
As well, John Schwalger drops out of the match day 22, with Tim Fairbrother coming in to partner fellow prop Neemia Tialata.
Collins has returned home nursing bruised ribs, robbing the Hurricanes of a menacing presence.
Jane said it would feel unusual not having the All Blacks hard man alongside him as the teams ran on to the field.
"It will seem a bit strange. He puts so much fear into other teams simply because he's an intimidating person."
Providing the Hurricanes play somewhere near the best they should not bow to the Cheetahs.
The South Africans have won just one game, 29-14 against the Reds at Bloemfontein, and conceded 38 tries.
Hurricanes
Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Zac Guildford, Willie Ripia, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Scott Waldrom, Chris Masoe, Jason Eaton, Jeremy Thrush, Tim Fairbrother, Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata.
Reserves: Hikawera Elliot, Jacob Ellison, Bernie Upton, Craig Clarke, Brett Goodin, Tane Tu'ipulotu, Tamati Ellison.
- NZPA
