KEY POINTS:
A confident Hurricanes tight five are out to reverse their recent run of lost arm wrestles against the Crusaders when the teams meet in tomorrow's Super 14 rugby semifinal.
A pattern has emerged in the last four fairly dour meetings of the teams, all won by seven to 10 points by the Crusaders with remarkably similar scorelines.
In each clash, the red and black pack has established a small but significant enough ascendancy to win matches that inevitably turn into physical affairs.
The southerly wind and rain forecast to chill Christchurch this weekend is sure to bring forth an element of grind again but that will be welcomed by the visitors.
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper has talked up the progress of his tight five all season, but never more than this month.
"I feel we've played our best rugby since we came back from Africa," he said.
"We've been pretty consistent and it's starting at our set piece. That's what is giving us the edge, I think, and we have to maintain that."
Despite losing by two points to the Blues last week, Cooper lauded the work of his front row.
The chief beneficiary is prop Tim Fairbrother who retains the tighthead berth over All Black Neemia Tialata, forced to return to the bench after serving a week's suspension.
Fairbrother's reaction to selection typified the growing self-belief within a forward unit laced with more starch than Hurricanes packs of yesteryear.
"It didn't surprise me too much," Fairbrother said.
"I think this year, especially the latter part of the season, my form's been pretty good.
"Between the whole front row there's been a bit of pressure on each week. It's a bit nerve-wracking who's going to start."
Fairbrother's reputation was enhanced against destructive Blues and All Blacks loosehead Tony Woodcock in one of the best performances of his six-season Super rugby career.
"We scrummed really well against the Blues. We got stuck into them on their ball and even round the track up front we got stuck into them," he said.
"Consistently I'd say the Blues are the toughest (scrum) but the Crusaders have eight forwards that don't work as individuals, they work as a team and they always have."
Former national age group prop Fairbrother, 26, is relishing the chance to extend a career derailed twice by shoulder reconstructions.
He made his debut against the Crusaders in 2003 and started the losing semifinal against the same opponents that season.
However, a shoulder operation late in 2005 turned the following year into a write-off.
His first game back last year against the Queensland Reds resulted in another dislocation, surgery and six more months out before an impressive stint for Hawke's Bay during the Air New Zealand Cup.
Fairbrother will lock horns with Wyatt Crockett, who is the only new starting face from the Crusaders team who beat the Hurricanes 20-13 at Wellington on March 28. Crockett is in for Ben Franks on the loosehead side.
"He's a really attacking scrummager, he really gives it a crack," Fairbrother said of the lanky Crockett.
"From where I'm sitting, I'd say that's why they've brought him in."
The Hurricanes will field at least five changes from that match, along with the positional switch of Ma'a Nonu from the wing to second five-eighth.
There will be another change if bracketed captain and No 8 Rodney So'oialo doesn't recover from bruised ribs.
The teams last met at playoff time two years ago, in the final spoiled by heavy Christchurch fog.
The Crusaders feature six changes from that side who won 19-12, while the Hurricanes will field at least seven differences. The only Hurricanes back starting in the same position as the 2006 final is halfback Piri Weepu.
Meanwhile, Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has shown there is no room for sentimentality at semifinal team by omitting veteran outside back Caleb Ralph from his 22.
Ralph has played 135 Super rugby matches, one behind ACT Brumbies competition record-holder George Gregan, and is also one short of the Super rugby best 58 tries scored by former Blues winger Doug Howlett.
- NZPA
