There was a telling nine-second pause earlier than Du’Plessis Kirifi answered a query on the post-match press convention in Canberra on Saturday – a silence which spoke volumes in regards to the 35-28 loss to the Brumbies, which introduced the Hurricanes’ season to a sudden finish.
Coach Clark Laidlaw had began answering the primary query of the presser about 90 seconds earlier, describing the “uncooked” sense of disappointment whereas Kirifi sat in silence. You would see it on the faces of the Canes’ gamers post-game too, this loss actually damage.
Tom Wright and Andy Muirhead have been amongst those that gladly took selfies with their followers at GIO Stadium, grinning huge after serving to the Brumbies earn a spot within the semi-finals. As for the Hurricanes, who nonetheless took loads of selfies themselves, they have been clearly dejected.
With the Blues shocking the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato, everything was on the line for both the Canes and Brumbies. If the Chiefs had held on, either the Canes or Brumbies would’ve progressed as the highest-ranked loser, but it wasn’t to be in the battle of the capitals.
“Yeah, it’s pretty raw I guess. Pretty disappointed to go out,” Laidlaw said post-game.
“Six or seven weeks ago we’re in a bit of a hole when we walked in here and started the good period of the season.
‘We knew coming here, playoff game, how good the Brumbies are – well done to them. I thought they did the things that they’re good at really well tonight, around the breakdown and the lineout. We just gave them too much access.
“I felt like we had enough to maybe dig ourselves out of it, not to be.”
After beating the Brumbies at that very same stadium earlier this season, the Canes looked to repeat those heroics with their entire season on the line. The Blues result was revealed by the ground announcer pre-game, which set the stage for a do-or-die clash.
Ruben Love helped the visitors take the lead on two occasions, scoring the opener in the fifth minute before setting Fehi Fineanganofo up soon after. But it was all the Brumbies from there, for a while at least, as they scored 21 unanswered points.
Big-name players stood tall for the home side, with front-rowers Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper leading the charge with at least one try each. Slipper’s effort with about 20 minutes left helped the Brumbies extend their lead to two converted tries.
All Black Pasilio Tosi crossed for what ended up being the final try of the contest with 14 minutes left, but the Brumbies held on. Brumbies fans who braved the cold in the capital got more vocal as the match went on, thrilled to see their team back in another semi-final.
“One of the things… we had 13 players when we started the season. A lot of them were starters, All Blacks,” Laidlaw reflected.
“Some other exciting parts I guess when we dust ourselves off is the depth we built. With five or six guys missing again tonight so you can see the squad is starting to build.
“But ultimately it’s going to be disappointment. We certainly think we’re good enough to win playoff games and maybe today sums up the competition, doesn’t it?
“We’re on the wrong side of it but you watch the Blues sneak in and the Brumbies now into the semi-finals so it’s competition that keeps giving, isn’t it? Somebodies got to suck it up I guess and take the disappointment.”
