Skipper Dane Coles is under no allusions as to what awaits, especially if the weather packs in and forces a forwards slugfest with an aerial bombardment. We know each other, but you see in these New Zealand derbies that everyone is out to hurt each other. Obviously Dom (Bird) and Retallick are exceptional at getting up in the air, but those guys have to be lifted as well," says Coles. Expect the Hurricanes to start better than they did against the Rebels and, conversely, finish stronger than they did against the Sunwolves. These two franchises split two games in 2016, though the Hurricanes won the semifinal 25-9.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 09, 2017 01:52 UTC