‘Hurricanes can still improve’ – Boyd

Editor

Hurricanes boss Chris Boyd admitted his side can still improve despite claiming a bonus-point win over the Kings in Wellington on Friday.

The home side raced in to an early 19-3 lead but two Kings tries late in the second half meant the Hurricanes held a slender 19-17 lead at half-time.

The Kings did well for large parts of the second half before late tries from Vince Aso and Beauden Barrett secured the Hurricanes a somewhat flattering 42-20 bonus-point victory.

And Boyd knows a similar performance against a better side could have dire consequences for his charges.

"In the short-term the win and the bonus point, we were very pleased to get," he said.

"But with what we've got coming we're going to need to play a lot better than that to accumulate points." 

Hurricanes captain Dane Coles echoed his coach's sentiments.

"We started with a hiss and a roar and then that last 15 minutes of the first half we let them back into the game," he said.

"It's hard when you get in the lead like that and things are going real easy for you, I think you just get a bit too excited."

After playing expansively during the first half, Coles admitted that they changed their game-plan after they went into the break with a two-point lead.

"We just wanted to be really simple and direct [after that] and have guys carrying the ball hard and not looking for the offload or trying to get the plums and score the try," added Coles.