2. The Rise and Rise of the Canes
Up until last year the Hurricanes, Waratahs and Stormers were just about in equal first place for the under-achievers of Super Rugby [UASR] standings, including it’s early iterations, the Super 12 and Super 14.
Representing Australia, the Waratahs relinquished their well-earned UASR status in 2014. The genesis of their rise from their hitherto impressive low standards started against another dog of a team, the Hurricanes, in Sydney on 3 May 2014.
At 28 minutes they were down 7-24 and looked well on the way to mediocrity in 2014 but two tries and a penalty goal had them even by half-time. They went on to win that one and every game thereafter to give Waratahs’ fans some joy that they had wanted for some time, but had grown hardened not to expect.
Tahs v Canes 2014 – when they lost their UASR mojo
That left the Stormers and the Hurricanes as the foremost UASR teams of Super Rugby in 2015. The Stormers had an impressive record losing four semi-finals (two to the Crusaders) and a final, to the Bulls.
But the Hurricanes could better that, with five losses in semi-finals (and an impressive three to the Crusaders) and a finals’ loss to them as well. They would be hard to knock off the UASR top spot in 2015.
But their UASR status is in serious jeopardy because they have won six out of six, including a victory against the Rebels last weekend, a game which they had targeted to rest some of their All Blacks, as they were required to do. That is only one short of their record of seven in 2003.
After the Canes’ game last year Waratahs’ coach Michael Cheika said the Hurricanes were the opponent he admired most because they had a crack, as the Waratahs did, sometimes against the odds.
The Canes are doing it still and if a non-Aussie team has to win the bikkies this year there are many in Tahland who will hope it is the Hurricanes because they also play Cheika rugby.
