First take: Hurricanes lead the way

Ma'a Nonu looks to get a pass away against his former side. Photo / Getty

Hurricanes 30
Blues 23

The Hurricanes have often been the best team in Super Rugby...the best team to watch that is.

And they're back by the looks of it. Some of what Chris Boyd's side did against the Blues last night was out of a Harlem Globetrotters' playbook.

This competition has always looked better when the Hurricanes are firing. Way back, in the pioneering professional days, they gave the competition a lot of glamour, even though they never troubled the engravers.

The ball fizzed about like a pin ball in the first half at Palmerston North. This confidence cost the Hurricanes at times. Young fullback fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder constantly flirted with getting isolated, a rugby sin unfortunately under the modern rules. Some of the ball playing might have veered towards cockiness.

But nothing ventured nothing gained. That was the original Hurricanes DNA and it has a healthy place in the current team under new coach Boyd.

Julian Savea showed wonderful touches to match his power. Ma'a Nonu snuck a terrific little pass to create a Savea try. Milner-Skudder ran without care. Even when under pressure, when they trailed despite being the better side, the Hurricanes threw caution to the wind and scored a wonder try on half time. It is great rugby to watch, and rugby at this level is incredibly hard to play with that sort of verve.

Boyd and his fellow coaches need to get the balance between flamboyance and a clinical attitude right so the Hurricanes can shed the tag of their forefathers - that of lovable losers.