Aisle be back: Hurricanes v Chiefs in Wellington

I warned last week about the Vibe. Well, the Vibe just about killed us - so much for having the championship in the pocket after five games.

Instead, it took a miracle effort to get home over the very competitive Sharks. They were gutted, but just imagine what the Sader and Chiefs fans were thinking.

So you'd think the Vibe would be on ice. But no, another respected writer this week insisted the Hurricanes had shown, with that comeback, that indeed they were the real deal for the title.

It's enough to make you weep.

Now all dues to the team for pulling it out of the fire, but a championship team, even with the late loss of Barrett B, and mid-game, TJ, probably would not consider that they should ever be in the position of needing that to get home.

I know there's some validity to the thinking that it demonstrates the sort of guts and nervelessness that you need in the tightest of situations.

But a real mean championship team does it ruthlessly. As the Canes did in their finals run in 2016.  No real room for doubt.

In a lot of ways, this is a great outcome for the coaches. Plenty of improvement to be had, but not at the expense of a momentum-killing loss.

So now we'll see if they can turn it on against the Chiefs this weekend.

If we see the same performance that we saw at home against the Crusaders, then odds-on for a victory and a good one.

Last year we played them first up in the wet in Hamilton and were frankly out-thought in the conditions and well beaten. It did not augur well for the rest of the season.

So let's hope for the typical dry track and perfect conditions in Wellington, and really keep the heat on in the New Zealand conference.

Of course, the reality is probably there’ll be a blasting southerly still by then, after this week’s storm.

And it’s Friday the 13^th as well.

I can feel the Vibe coming on.

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Still with superstition. Go on, I bet you were packing it at the thought of Ihaia West notching that last kick.

Not because he's not a very accomplished player but because let's not be too subtle about it, he spent a long time as part of a failing Auckland side.

You kind of suspected somehow it was still trailing him around. Thank heavens that's not the case.

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As I was finalising this blog, the news broke about the Hurricanes’ promotional team’s major blunder with the Taranaki Land Wars tagline.

I had just written about Israel Folau, and more on that later.

The Canes promo team should have known much much better, and to their credit have acknowledged that. They may want to consider whether an apology is enough or whether they need to do a bit of serious work with iwi.

It does underscore that sports events should never be associating themselves with war or warlike synonyms. We all know sport is on some level a matter of conflict. But no-one dies at the end of it, and no-one suffers any more than a loss than can be reversed a couple of weeks or seasons later.

I guess the tagline was referring to something we all know about – the Taranaki split to the Chiefs franchise a few years ago. Heck it was even worth a few sideline jibes in 2016 when the Naki-less Canes became champs.

But no, that’s a bit crass even in its own right to promo a game. Let alone the more serious historical connotations of the actual Land Wars.

As for Israel Folau – he is a professional rugby player. He is entitled to his personal opinions, but it’s surprising he thinks they are suitable fodder for social media.

Because of his status as a player, his words will be amplified in the echo chamber. What bit about that does he not understand.

Like you, and I, you need to moderate what you might say online, especially if it is potentially damaging to you or your place of employment, or both.

I still think the litmus test should be would you use those words to the subject person if they were sharing the back of a taxi with you.

Some might view this as self-censoring. Others might just call it self-preservation.

Or good manners.

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The Hurricanes have made five changes to their starting XV as they go in search of six straight Investec Super Rugby wins when they host the Chiefs at Westpac Stadium on Friday night.

Beauden Barrett has recovered from a minor leg injury that forced his late withdrawal from the side that beat the Sharks in dramatic fashion in Napier last week and will start at first five-eighth.

In other changes, prop Toby Smith will make his first start since the opening Hurricanes match of the season against the Bulls having successfully completed his return to play protocols after suffering a head knock in Pretoria.

His return pushes the well performed Chris Eves to the bench where he will provide even more experience to the front row cover along with Ben May.

In the second row, Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd has recalled Vaea Fifita after he started on the bench against the Sharks, with Michael Fatialofa moving to the reserves.

There is also a change at halfback with TJ Perenara sidelined with a knee injury he sustained in the first half at Napier with Jamie Booth taking over and Richard Judd returning to the squad as cover in the reserves.

Matt Proctor has recovered from a sternum injury he suffered in the Hurricanes win over the Highlanders on March 24 and will start at centre as Vince Aso moves out to the wing in place of Julian Savea who has a week off.

In other changes to the bench, James O'Reilly replaces Asafo Aumua who has suffered a hand injury.

Hurricanes v Chiefs, Westpac Stadium, Friday 7.35pm.

Kevin is a lifetime Hurricanes fan. He and his partner are on a two-year Volunteer Service Abroad posting to Vanuatu's Espiritu Santo island. He's working on a project to build a South Pacific World War 2 museum on the site of an enormous Allied base on the island. Check it out at www.southpacificwwiimuseum.com