Chiefs look to avoid capital punishment in quarterfinal showdown with Hurricanes

The Chiefs will be hoping to carry on their winning feeling from against the Hurricanes last weekend when they meet them again in the quarterfinal tonight.

So as much as their second‑string lineup's 28‑24 win over the Hurricanes in the final‑round of the Super Rugby regular season in Hamilton would have boosted the confidence, they know that it really counts for diddly‑squat come tonight's quarterfinal in Wellington.

The same goes with the Hurricanes' recent form, having seemingly sleepwalked their way to quarterfinal hosting rights – going from ominously winning 10 on the trot to now losing four of their last five.

While this will be the Chiefs' seventh successive away playoff match, it's home comforts which the Hurricanes can fall back on, having a remarkable record of 21 wins from their last 22 games as hosts.

That one slip‑up, though, last year, was indeed against the Chiefs, who also prevailed in the capital in the 2016 regular season. The Chiefs then went on to lose a semifinal at the same ground that year, and were outdone 25‑13 there in April this season, however.

All they know is, that if they are to prevail, in what is a traditionally tight affair, they have to be switched on and raring to go.

The Hurricanes will host the Chiefs at 7.35pm tonight.

In other Super Rugby quarterfinals, defending champions, Crusaders will meet the Sharks at 7.35pm tomorrow, the Waratahs will host the Highlanders at 10.05pm tomorrow, while the Lions face the Jaguares at 1.05am Sunday.

[Source:Stuff.co.nz]

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