Aisle be Back: The semi-finals, minus the Hurricanes

• By Kevin McCarthy

Another season, another early exit. Can’t say it feels like a surprise that a quarter-final in Canberra was once again too far.

You can take solace in the thought that Ardie  Savea did score in injury time. But its pretty feeble solace.

After all, why exactly were the Canes needing the hail-est of Marys to win. We shouldn’t have been having any conversation about the try. Or about Jordie Barrett butchering the pass to an open Bailyn Sullivan moments earlier (looks bad in the still, in real time, well, people get tunnel vision unfortunately).

In a slightly better version of Canesworld, they would have taken the lead, and kept it. But we are talking the Brumbies here and they have a Terminator 2 like quality to keep regenerating and coming back.

Still, it sure was a thrilling end and just what you want in finals footie. Third time a charm in 2024?

Stepping outside this match, the Hurricanes seem to have a fatal failing of being unable to quite grip a game ruthlessly and shut  out the opposition. Too often they’ll take the lead and then quickly let that slip. Of course, the other side gets a vote in what happens.

If I was to summarise the side, they’re a boxer able to dish it out but with a glass jaw. The trend line you could say is  up – the forward pack is not easily subdued nowadays. But there are missing pieces still.

As to the wider comp, I am still backing the Chiefs to bring it home. They were teetering at times against the Reds of all teams, but as has been pointed out, that’s just the near death miss they will have needed.

The Blues won’t get close in Christchurch  So it will be the Crusaders heading north two weekends from now. What a final that should be.

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We are now about to enter the strange cutdown international window ahead of the World Cup.

For the players it must seem like a slightly fraught deal. For some, they’ll be playing to get on a plane to France. For others they’ll be playing  to not suffer the cruel fate of injury and not getting on the same plane,

They’ll still want to win and get some sort of form. But anyone using these matches to judge where the teams really will be, come October is on shaky ground.

I’m just hoping for some good games, some consistency, and absolutely nothing being heard from the NZR, Last year’s  dramas reached the absurd a lot f the time. I don’t think anyone should be wishing for that to resurface again so quickly, or indeed, ever.

I am sure that will be a vain hope.