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Hurricanes’ Loss Highlights Mark Hammett’s Need to Blend Flair with Structure
Published: May 19, 2012
After a disappointing 2011, they lost eight past or current All Blacks as coach Mark Hammett's hard-line style of coaching proved unpopular with senior players.
Hammett's style introduced a much-needed series of changes.
For most of the Super Rugby seasons, the Hurricanes have had no shortage of talented players on their roster but with only one Grand Final appearance in franchise history to show for it, underachievers is a good word to describe the team.
Their previous style of entertaining, explosive rugby suited the star-studded back lines of old and was usually good enough to get them into the semi-finals.
That kind of rugby, while great to watch, lacks the consistency required to succeed long-term. An expansive style of game allows mistakes to creep in and takes the game away from the forwards, which are needed in the tightly-fought playoff games.
As the saying goes: "the best back line in the world means nothing if you're going backwards."
It's no coincidence that the most frequent Super Rugby winners are the Crusaders, Bulls and Brumbies.
The All Blacks finally won a World Cup last year when their forwards started working hard and focusing on a style of game that relies more on structure than a high tempo.
Mark Hammett was brought in from Canterbury by the Hurricanes' management to bring that style of rugby to Wellington.
From day one he emphasised his authority and later told captain Andrew Hore and star second-five Ma'a Nonu they would no longer be required.
Despite the criticism he received, the resulting player exodus actually served to refine the team.
The players left in 2012 were all hard workers with a skill set that works to the game Hammett wants (Nonu made too many mistakes) and rookies with everything to prove.
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