Uncertain times await the Blues and Hurricanes

Yahoo!Xtra Sport / Neil Reid - May 16, 2008, 12:25 pm
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The respective coaching and playing staff of the Blues and Hurricanes will now have to play a waiting game to see if they have made the Rebel Sport Super 14 play-offs.

The Blues' 19-17 win over the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Friday night initially saw both sides remain in the Super 14 top four.

The Blues are at the longest-odds to still be there when full-time is blown after Sunday's Sharks/Chiefs clash in Durban.

And it now appears highly unlikely that the Hurricanes will still be able to secure a home semifinal.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper cut a forlorn figure after the match, saying a tough period now followed for him and his players.

"Another exciting weekend in this competition, a great competition I guess," Cooper said of what awaits.

"That is the roller-coaster ride we take as players and coaches.

"It is a little bit disappointing. We had our opportunities there but did not finish."

While fans of the prospective teams will no-doubt be keen watchers of the rugby to come, Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore said he didn't fit into that group.

Instead "family time" now beckoned.

"I won't watch any of them," Hore said.

"I will just wait until I get a text from Wardie. Hopefully we can get a couple of things go our way and we can still be in the semis.

"I will keep away from rugby in the weekend and have some family time."

Blues coach David Nucifora made no bones about the task now facing his side, saying it would be "tough" to make the top four.

"It will take a couple of results (called) upsets for it to happen.

"But as I said, we are breathing. We have a chance."

But Nucifora said he was unsure if he would be staying up over the next 36 hours to watch the crucial rugby to follow.

"I am not sure if I can bare to watch any of it to be honest," he said.

"Maybe I will just tune into the scores."

While obviously pleased with the win, Nucifora said his side had come up short on what was required.

"We just had to win, that was task one," he said.

"Task two was to try and beat them by 12. And task three was to get four tries, I suppose.

"It was always going to be hard, trying to get the 15 points we said we wanted a month ago. We got 14.

"But it was just nice to get a victory. We have beaten three of the other New Zealand teams and we should have beaten the Crusaders as well."

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