Heartbreak for the Hurricanes as Their Super Rugby Pacific Season Ends
The Hurricanes’ Super Rugby Pacific campaign has come to a close, leaving players and fans alike devastated by the missed opportunity. Despite finishing the regular season in a strong position and securing home-ground advantage for the playoffs, the Hurricanes were unable to capitalize, falling short against the visiting Chiefs in a hard-fought 30-19 semi-final defeat.
Emotions ran high after the match, with playmaker Brett Cameron visibly distraught on the post-game broadcast. The Hurricanes had been tipped by many as potential champions, having overcome the Brumbies and Blues during the regular season. However, the Chiefs’ blistering start proved too much for the hosts to overcome, racing to a 14-0 lead within the first six minutes.
“It was a bit of a shock,” admitted Hurricanes captain Brad Shields, reflecting on the team’s slow start. “The Chiefs got up, and we just couldn’t quite get there in the end.”
While the Hurricanes managed to claw their way back into the contest, scoring two tries to the Chiefs’ one in the second half, the visitors’ accurate goal-kicking from Damian McKenzie kept them firmly in control. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Hurricanes, who had hoped to end their eight-year title drought this season.
“We’re just really gutted because [when] we look back on our season, we’re extremely proud of what we’ve achieved and put ourselves in a really good position,” Shields said. “We just couldn’t get there tonight, which is tough to take.”
Despite the heartbreak, the Hurricanes can take solace in the progress they made throughout the 2024 campaign. As Shields noted, the team “learnt different ways to win” and showed a strong connection off the field, boding well for the future.
“We showed in that game, there was plenty of opportunity out there,” the captain added. “We did the simple things well… pretty tough to take that, to be honest.”
The Hurricanes’ journey has come to an end, but their fans can look forward to a promising 2025 season as the team continues to build towards that elusive first title in eight years.
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