Aisle Be Back: Hurricanes v Chiefs

So at what point on Saturday night did the inner you start screaming that the kicking tee had to go to somewhere other than 10?

Come halftime, I still wasn't at that point because to be honest, it felt like we were on top and we would get home comfortably enough despite the squandered kicks at goal.

Certainly got that wrong.

It's interesting more questions haven't been raised about the Canes' game management at the critical part of the match. I don't know how the team leadership operates on the park or how that links back to the coaching box, but here are a few posers.

Why wasn't the call made to use Woodward earlier, and certainly at the point that we were turning down kicks at goal in the second half?

Who would make that call? Dane Coles or the coaches I presume, because I guess that Beauden Barrett would hardly stand himself down from kicking duties.

Clearly some call was made to kick for the corner rather than goal in that second half, so there seems to have been a recognition a strategy change was needed. But why not try the Woodward option first? Kicking for the corners is what you do when you're trying to bridge a chasm, not a creek.

If the decision-making is down to the captain, maybe we've finally found a wee chink in Dane Coles' action man / super hero form to date. Or maybe this is what happens when you lose two superlative All Blacks from the leadership mix.

So that's the bad. The good was that this was a superb match to watch and with a ton of skilful moments from both sides. And 22 thousand for a conference game is outstanding.

Africa next. Two wins are needed you'd think and achievable, so the first match against the Lions is crucial. South African rugby may look a bit anaemic right now, but you should always treat matches there as dangerous propositions.

And just where will that kicking tee end up?

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Great to see Ardie Savea committing to the Canes campaign instead of Rio.  At least I think that's the narrative here, because the vibe out of the NZRU was a bit odd.

Certainly you'd hope that Ardie is giving himself a decent crack at the No 7 black jersey this year as well.  Let's not see Sam Cane anointed too soon as the chosen one unless he's the best one.

But what precisely do you call the Ardie Savea haircut? It looks a bit like my shaving brush, if my shaving brush was capable of phenomenal openside play.

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I really love the water cooler conversations at work after your team loses a one-point thriller.

The one on Tuesday morning was a beauty.

Canes? Gone for the season (What???).

Barrett? Choker. He'll never start at 10 (Yes he can, he just needs to do the Cruden and subcontract).

Chiefs? They've got the conference and therefore the title sewn up (Well, the Canes proved last year that you can screw that one up).

The water cooler bloke is a lovely fella. Did I tell you he's from Canterbury?

Kev has followed the Hurricanes since they began. He has a season pass. Every year he predicts the Canes will win Super Rugby. He refuses to be called a long-suffering fan.