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Hurricanes are gathering momentum

Sunday 18th February 2007

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper feels his team is making enough progress, following a poor start to the Super 14 season, to ensure they remain in the hunt for a play-off place again.

The Hurricanes, beaten finalists in 2006, lost 25-16 to the Reds in Week One, but bounced back with nail-biting victories over the Chiefs (39-32) and Blues (23-22).

It was the quality of the rugby they played in the win over the Blues which pleased the coach most.

The victory over the Blues at Westpac Stadium at the weekend is also making light of the fact they are still without their six re-conditioning All Blacks.

Cooper said he was happy to see his side continue to make progress and praised the Hurricanes for righting the ship after a disappointing start to the competition in Brisbane.

"We showed a lot of courage, a lot of composure and a lot of discipline," Cooper said of the win over the Blues.

"We didn't have that composure in the Reds' game, but I think we're now moving ahead in the right direction. I felt that we deserved to win."

Stand-in captain Tana Umaga was also full of plaudits for his teammates' efforts in the face some intense late pressure from the Blues.

"Our composure, guts and defence was outstanding as was our discipline which is probably a word that hasn't gone well with us before," Umaga said.

"I think especially when they were really trying to hammer us and provoke a penalty towards the end there we understood that and really backed our defence."