The Hurricanes and Lions face off in the second semi-final matchup this weekend with the winner booking their place in Super Rugby grand final.
The much scrutinised Super Rugby format has served up another head-scratching fixture, and another reason to annoy New Zealand fans, as the Hurricanes travel to Johannesburg to play the Lions, who have breezed through the Super Rugby season without playing a single Kiwi team.
The Hurricanes continue their road trip after a solid second half performance against the Brumbies in Canberra gave them the victory in the first quarter final. Dane Coles and Beauden Barrett returned to the squad to help secure their spot in the semi-final this weekend.
The Lions have thoroughly dominated their competition in the Africa 2 conference, recording 14 wins and only one loss.
A team based on attack, the Lions have collectively made 9,055 metres with the ball in hand during the season and beaten a total of 423 defenders.
The Lions have scored 84 tries this year, the second most of any team in the competition. The Hurricanes have scored a staggering 93 tries to lead that statistic.
Teams
The Hurricanes have a plethora of attacking talent at their disposal with Wes Goosmen, Jordie Barrett and TJ Perenara all crossing the try line in Canberra.
Amazingly, Julian Savea and Beauden Barrett were relatively quiet during the quarterfinal. It’s truly a scary thought of what the final score could’ve been in Canberra if these two All Black Stars were on their game.
Dane Coles will continue his return to rugby after a prolonged absence due to a knee injury and lingering concussion symptoms. Coles had a brief run during the first half and then was permanently subbed on with 30 minutes to go, and the star hooker was instrumental in setting up TJ Perenara for his try in the second half against the Brumbies.
The Lions are an unknown quantity against New Zealand teams this season and this could work in their favour.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies leads the competition in individual points scored with three tries and 48 conversions. While his in-game kicking remains a key to the Lions game, his defence may be identified as a weakness, having missed 31 tackles this season.
Jaco Kriel will captain the side from flanker after a great season. He has scored eight tries and made 95 successful tackles. Kriel will lead the forward pack after a very tough matchup against the Sharks.
The Lions’ biggest weapons are their outside backs, whose performance culminated in a last-minute penalty goal by winger Ruan Combrinck to give the side victory in the quarter-final.
Centre combination Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe will also be prominent.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Attack and attack
This is truly an interesting matchup as both teams have shown outstanding attacking prowess over the season. The Lions have run riot in the weaker South African conference, recording 225 clean line breaks and 149 offloads.
Most importantly though, their confidence will be sky high, something that is needed if a team is to compete with a backline such quality as the Hurricanes’.
Furthermore, when they are in defence, the Lions forward pack is disciplined, recording fewer penalties and yellow cards than their New Zealand opposition.
The Hurricanes will look to blow the cobwebs off after a self-described lacklustre victory in Canberra. While they may be feeling the effects of the second week of travel, they still remain the most potent attacking force in the competition.
Look for Savea and the Barrett brothers to unleash on a defensive line that has not been tested by a New Zealand attack since last season.
Prediction
There is only one notable historic fixture between these two clubs, last year’s Grand Final. The Hurricanes overwhelmed the Lions and won 20-3.
While this game will be closer than last season’s decider, the Hurricanes should still end as the victors.
As the Lions have not yet been tested against a New Zealand opposition, I feel as though I’m predicting the first round of a new season, anything could happen! However, it would be foolish to tip against the style and class of the Hurricanes, who proved last weekend that they also have the ability and substance to grind out a hard fought win.
Hurricanes 24-18
Simon Douch
Roar Guru
No worries mate, much appreciated
44-29, quite breezy ;)
Pazuzi, it seems you have the intent to disagree regardless of what I say. Let me enlighten you a little, the Cheetahs endeavour to run with ball in hand, yet their set pieces are inconsistent and they don't focus on structural defence. Hence they concede almost as many tries as they score. Yes at times they are exciting, but they are not combining SA rugby strengths with the endeavour to play positive rugby. The Kings are new to positive rugby, yet they don't play complete rugby, the Stormers have a few talented backs that show skills but their game pla is not complete. The Bulls under pressure resort to type. Currently the only SA team embracing and combining tradititional strengths with a mantra of positve endeavour is the Lions, hence they are ahead of other SA franchises. Hopefully john mitchell will bring positive mindset to the bulls, Stormers I think are far off, the legacy of Jakeball via Allister Coetzee is deepseated. I hope the Cheetahs and Kings play with more structure and organisation at setpiece and defence. We can go in circles as much as you feel, these are proven facts
Fionn
Guest
I think it is about more than just playing with possession. It is really possible to dominate and score a lot of tries without dominating possession or territory. I remember in SR round 1 the Sunwolves had more possession and territory vs the Hurricanes, and the Hurricanes scored 84 points. It is about playing positive rugby when you both have and don't have the ball (something the Australians currently do not do).
Pazuzu
Guest
Sorry mate but thats a little contradictory and a little inaccurate. The lions are not the first team from sa since 2009 to play positive, dynamic rugby, win or lose. The cheetahs have done this for most of theit existence. The only difference is that they lost while playing admirable rugby, but as you mentioned, win or lose. Don't matter. The lions and now the stormers and the kings came after the cheetahs. The bulls are doing it too. The sharks are the only team who look disinterested to score tries. You can look up the stats for yourself. All the sa teams are playing a lot more ball than they did 4 years ago. You will be shocked if you compare the stormers stats of this year compared to 2012 to 2015. Theyve more than doubled their amount of ball in play time, more than doubled their passes per game, more than trippled their linebreaks, more than trippled their try count and have increased their possession in a game from an average of 30% per game to 57% per game this year. So the only difference is that youre treating the lions better for just winninh while you lool the other way with the other franchises. I thought it was, in your own words, win or lose? Or is it just admirable when you win? Make it easy and just say that you like lions because they win and only because they win.
I don't afmire the Lions, I appreciate what they have built from scratch, and that they endeavour to play positive rugby, win or lose. If you ho through my 200+ articles I have written on this site I have been begging SA rugby to embrace positive rugby since 2009. The Lions are the first team doing that. It is about changing the culture of our rugby, not sporadically, but permanent.
Pazuzu
Guest
Understandable mate but if thats the level youre judging by then I don't really think the Lions deserve your admiration. Im not saying that theyre a mediocre team but they really havent done anything thats special even by sa super rugger status. The sharks and stormers have both had periods like this. The stormers beat all kiwi teams in 2010 and had good records against everyone in those years. The sharks have always performed reasonably against nz teams, even beating the saders in chch with 13 men. In comparison, this lions team would get monstered by the bulls of 2007 - 2010, who beat a kiwi team, yes a kiwi team by 40 odd points in a final. They were pretty much impossible to beat. Much better than these lions. They may prove something this year but really its nothing new. They havent done a thing.
When a team is performing poor there is no benefit in wrapping your comments in cotton wool mate, for all the years I criticsed the Lions there were never any complaints. Now sadly it is other SA teams that deserve criticism
Pazuzu
Guest
Nah mate you still have to support them. Doesnt help you praise the lions while you just have bag on the others. If the stormers sharks and bulls arent at the level you want its cool, but give them props when they deserve it. Otherwise you might as well just be a lion supporter
Yes I am a Bok supporter, just nit so passionate anymore. Hard to support a team where little is done without interference. I will have passion my country's teams again when we can appoint the best coaches, the best players and nit have political interference. We have so many built in handicaps that are self imposed it is ridiculous, and also very hard to compete.
Pazuzu
Guest
Unless the stormers and the bulls taint the green jersey of too much of its lion-ness :P
Pazuzu more a case of having to defend the number one team in SA, their credentials are continuously being questioned, was it another Franchise in thier position then /i would defend them as well. Sadly the other SA teams are really off the necessary standrd to threaten.
Pazuzu
Guest
If he supports the lions he supports the boks i'd say :P
Fionn
Guest
What about the Boks?
Pazuzu
Guest
Ah ok just making sure. You'll have to forgive me for thinking so as it really looks as though you are!
No mate, don't support anyone, since the game has gone professional it has become a game for mercenaries. I don't identify with any team anymore.
R2D2
Guest
Valid point, but hopefully it will not be an issue. Should be a open game and may the best attacking team win.
Pazuzu
Guest
Are you a lions supporter biltongbek?
Frisky
Guest
How come the officials are not neutrals?.
DavSA
Guest
My apologies it was Fionns article ... still......Whatever , why am I even engaging you in conversation.... Have a nice day anyways.