Hurricanes brace for "cold, dark and hostile" Canberra in Super Rugby finals
Photo:
Mark Evans/ActionPress
Brumbies v Hurricanes
Kick-off: 9:35pm Saturday 7 May
GIO Stadium, Canberra
Live updates on RNZ Sport
The Hurricanes wanted the Brumbies first up in the Super Rugby finals and they're confident of claiming a second win in Canberra this season.
Hurricanes players celebrate the win over Moana Pasifika.
Photo:
Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
Much has been made of the match and its potential to become a dead rubber due to the scheduling of the game and the new playoff format.
If results go to seedings in the earlier games and the Chiefs beat the Blues and the Crusaders beat the Reds, then the Brumbies and Hurricanes will play each other knowing that no matter what the result they will both qualify for the semi-finals.
However, if either the
Crusaders or Chiefs lose a home semi-final
would be on offer for the Hurricanes and All Blacks halfback, Cam Roigard, said the visitors are intent on maintaining their winning momentum.
"There's potentially a lot to play for and just like the regular season there's never dead rubbers even if the result doesn't matter. The games are so tight and there's still so much to play for," Roigard said.
"Momentum's huge heading into the semi-finals. We've been lucky to get some good results leading in to the playoffs and regardless of the previous results (between the Crusaders and Reds and Chiefs and Blues), we're going to be trying to do what we can to get a result."
Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes celebrates a try.
Photo:
Masanori Udagawa / PHOTOSPORT
He believes if the Hurricanes focus on anything other than winning, they will set themselves up to fail.
"We know how hard it is to win in Canberra. So, if you're thinking it's a dead rubber leading into the match and then there's an upset in previous games, that can shake things up completely and it could turn into the game of the round. So, yeah, who knows? We're just going to control what we can control."
The Hurricanes won in Canberra earlier this season with the 35-29 victory in April their first in the Australian capital since 2017 and Roigard believes that drought-breaking result will give them confidence heading into this weekend's clash.
"It's massive. We don't take that stuff for granted and hopefully we've broken the curse of winning over there," Roigard said.
"We know it's going to be cold. It's going to be dark. The crowd get behind their team, so it's going to be loud and hostile too.
"We know how tough it is to win over there. We've had some great Hurricanes sides go over there and not be able to win. I've played there a couple times in quarter finals and been there when the team has played there. It always seems to be in the Hurricanes script that we're playing the Brumbies in Canberra for a quarter final."
Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes runs in to score a try, Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika, round 16 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 31 May 2025. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / Photosport
Photo:
Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
Despite the added travel of going to Australia and the Brumbies impressive home record, Roigard is adamant the visitors are more than happy to be playing in Canberra.
"They (Brumbies) are probably the team that we want to play in the quarter final, given the position that we are on the table. It's probably the best that we could have done considering the average start that we had to the season."
Roigard believes the Hurricanes will have to be accurate and as error free as possible to claim back to back wins over the Brumbies.
"I think our kicking game is massive. They've got some talented backs and they're such a set piece orientated team.
"The more opportunities we give them, the harder it's going to be for us, especially if we're defending our goal line for eighty minutes. If we can manage where we play the game that will be huge for us and for giving momentum to our forwards and for getting around the corner and playing in the right areas of the field.
"We know that they're hugely reliant on set piece and they're very good at it. If we can manage that as best we can, then we'll have a good chance on the weekend."
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