KEY POINTS:
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper has attempted to hose down any hype surrounding the battle of the country's premier No 8s in tomorrow's Super 14 rugby clash.
Cooper's men travel to Christchurch for an encounter with the rampant Crusaders and their semifinal hopes still "alive".
Their previous visit to Jade Stadium was for the fog-bound Super 14 final won by the hosts 19-12.
In a team replete with gamebreakers, one Crusader has stood exceptionally tall this season with Mose Tuiali'i in imperious form.
Many pundits have rightly picked Tuaili'i to extend his five test caps during the All Blacks' winter campaign following his wrecking ball impersonations.
Cooper, who yesterday named an unchanged side from the one that beat the Cheetahs 37-15 last week, said his skipper and incumbent All Black No 8 Rodney So'oialo had his sights set on a team effort instead of reasserting his place in the national pecking order.
"The game and the position we're in and the respect we have for the Crusaders is enough motivation to get up for this one," Cooper said.
Tuaili'i's opportunity to claim the mantle as the country's leading No 8 on current form came while So'oialo cooled his heels on the sideline for seven rounds as a reconditioned All Black.
It's a point Cooper stresses as he backed So'oialo, in his fourth game, to lead his team fiercely into the sudden-death situation.
"Rodney's only just come in and Mose's been playing the whole year and deserves the credit he's getting.
"But the captain of the Hurricanes is pretty relentless.
"He's probably one of the toughest guys I've ever coached so I think his form along with (Chris) Masoe and (Jerry) Collins is starting to come through."
It's not rocket science to realise the international loose-forward trio need to be firing as the Hurricanes, in eighth place on 23 points, need another win to stave execution with three teams sharing fourth on 27.
The threat has been hanging over them nearly all season, but last week's win, their fourth from 10 games, was an ideal tonic to boost some flagging confidence, Cooper said.
Building continuity was his reason for sticking to an unchanged 15 with the only doubt surrounding lock Paul Tito who was bracketed with Luke Andrews due to a niggling back injury.
In the reserves Cooper has added pace with the inclusion of openside flanker Serge Lilo, while former Crusaders hooker Tone Kopelani comes in for Mahonri Schwalger.
Consistency in selection was another reason Cooper kept veteran midfielder Tana Umaga on the bench while the pairing of centre Conrad Smith and second-five eighth Ma'a Nonu get another opportunity to gel.
Earlier this week Collins said the Hurricanes would have to go at the Crusaders "hammer and tongs".
Cooper, however, said they would have to be a "bit smarter" than just resorting to the physical stuff.
"You can't just bash this crew, it's about being smart and what we do with the ball.
"We have to really protect the ball so we all know our roles and play the game we want to play.
"We're just getting back into form and we're getting some confidence back into our game, and we're really fighting to stay with the top four.
"We're alive and that's all I wanted heading into this game."
Hurricanes: Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Shannon Paku, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Chris Masoe, Jerry Collins, Jason Eaton, Paul Tito/Luke Andrews, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, John Schwalger.
Reserves: Tone Kopelani, Anthony Perenise, Andrews/Bernie Upton, Serge Lilo, Jimmy Gopperth, David Smith, Tana Umaga.
- NZPA
