Rugby: Hore makes his point on a messy night

Andrew Hore of the Hurricanes is congratulated by Piri Weepu after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

The game that was almost secondary to the week that went before it might have thrown up another bad news storyline.

Richard Kahui left the field early in the second half with a neck injury and while it didn't look to be particularly debilitating, with the All Black midfielder's injury history there is always the possibility of a long lay-off around the corner.

He spent the last 35 minutes watching an error-strewn draw - the right result from a muddled match, although neither side can claim to deserve two points.

It has not been an easy month for either side. Chiefs coach Ian Foster has bemoaned the disruption the contracting process for 2012 has created within his squad, but never was the fact the Chiefs need an upgrade in several positions more evident than last night.

Foster's problems, however, paled in comparison with those felt in Wellington and its hinterland.

Two of their key players, captain Andrew Hore and Ma'a Nonu, have felt the cold cut of professional sport, both being told they were no longer wanted by the team they had each represented more than 100 times.

The reasons and merits of that will be long debated, suffice to say Mark Hammett has found himself in the eye of the Hurricane, backed by tacit approval from his chief executive and stony silence from a docile board.

It didn't take long for a bad week to get worse for the Hurricanes.

With less than two minutes gone, a slipping Aaron Cruden shanked a punt straight into Craig Clarke. Kahui toed the loose ball over the line and dived on it unopposed.

Misery loves company.

There was some levity, followed by a wry smile from Hore soon after when he started a drive from an attacking lineout, then picked the ball off the back of a ruck and dived over to open the visitors' scoring.

If that makes it sound like a helter-skelter game full of verve and attack, then rest assured it's a false picture. At times the skill level, even taking into account another wretched weather-blighted night, was alarmingly poor.

You couldn't deny the fact that both sides were committed, but the willing didn't make up for the spilling.

Down by 10 at the break, the Hurricanes needed a fast start to the second spell. They got that when Nonu busted a weak Dwayne Sweeney tackle and two link passes later Hosea Gear, who has yet to commit to the team for next season, crossed.

Honestly, this script was getting too easy to write.

Nonu was presented with a golden chance to be the hero, to flip the figurative digit at a Hurricanes' management that feels he is an impediment to progress, but he failed to hold a Victor Vito pass that would have likely put him beneath the posts.

Nonu's mishandle was emblematic of the match. But it was the Chiefs who were pressing hard for victory at the end, with the forwards putting together their most coherent passage of the match while trying to get Stephen Donald into position for a match-winning drop goal.

That was charged down. The Hurricanes, wounded though they might have been after the events of the past week, were in no mood to spoil Neemia Tialata's 100th and, like many, second-to-last game for his franchise.

Chiefs 18

Tries: Richard Kahui, Isaac Ross
Conversion: Stephen Donald
Penalties: Stephen Donald 2

Hurricanes 18

Tries: Andrew Hore, Hosea Gear
Conversion: Aaron Cruden
Penalties: Aaron Cruden 2

Halftime: 15-5

* dylan.cleaver@nzherald.co.nz