Hurricanes brace for Blues backlash in Wellington showdown

Hurricanes assistant coach Cory Jane said the Blues were always a dangerous side.

"They were when they hadn't won the Championship, and now, with the style of rugby they played [to win last year], they'll be angry and will come hard.

"The Blues have been playing a little more than last year. They want to play with more width and that may be the Beaudy [Beauden Barrett] effect, so they are challenging teams there as well as being dominant with their carries and cleans. It's a challenge."

After recovering from their first-round loss to the Crusaders, the Hurricanes beat the Drua last weekend, and Jane said it was always good to have a winning start in the early rounds because it gave a shot of confidence, but having a slow start to the competition was not the end of the world.

"The challenge is that we get better while knowing you could deny the champions."

But it was a quest for improvement they will also have on their minds against the Blues in round three. 

Jane said they were good at times against the Crusaders before falling apart in the second half. Against the Drua, it was a game where anything could happen, and it did.

"Everyone else enjoyed watching but the coaches.

"We're just trying to get better, and against a team we know is going to come down and try to play."

Jane said youthful first five-eighths Harry Godfrey had impressed in his two games and was the backs' player of the day against the Drua in Napier.

"We gave it to him as coaches because we saw he's stepping up in that general role and trying to run the team as best he can. That helps when you've got a guy who is confident in his role, and he is. He's impressive, but there is a long way to go. 

"We've got some young guys in the backline as well who are having to step up early in the competition but the play from Harry has been good."

Former Blues wing/fullback Kade Banks has been given a start at fullback on Saturday.  

Janes said Banks has made some tweaks to his game and his understanding has improved.

"He's got great footwork and speed, and he has embraced some of the skill sets we've been doing together about beating people with fends and using his hips.

"It's an opportunity for him to go out there against his old team and show his skills."

All Blacks centre Billy Proctor was not too far away from a return as his injury appeared not as bad as first thought.