Jason Holland has just weeks left as the Hurricanes attack coach before he takes over as Blues head coach in July — and on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, he lifted the lid on the philosophy that has turned Wellington's men into Super Rugby Pacific's most lethal attacking unit, with 21 first-phase tries and another 21 from phases two to seven.
The counterintuitive truth at the heart of the Hurricanes' system is that they are not the fastest side in the competition at the ruck — they are the smartest.
"It's no secret that we value gain line," Holland said. "Especially when we come off edges, make teams fold, make them make decisions, pretty much. So I think we've got some pretty simple systems in place which allow the boys to just make good decisions as to whether they're going to carry or whether we're going to go to space."
Holland credited the maturity and rugby IQ of his senior group for that trust-based framework, specifically name-checking the spine of Ruben Love, Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor.
"Rubes and Jordie and Billy Proctor at 10, 12, 13, who all really understand how we want to play, who talk really well and allow our forwards just to go to work."
The forwards are not rewarded for flamboyance. Holland said he and co-attack coach Brad Cooper drill them on a short checklist of non-negotiables.
"These are two or three things that I need to do really well to make sure that we can play the way we want to play. And a big part of it is forgetting about the razzle-dazzle stuff is the way our forwards are carrying when it's on the carry and getting us gain line."
The payoff is visible in the stat sheet. Equal tries from first phase and from phases two to seven means the Canes are not living on strike plays, but on pressure.
"We want to be able to pick off defences when they get under pressure, pretty much. So if they knock off in the middle of the field, we need to be ready to attack the middle of the field. If they knock off on the edge, we need to be ready to attack the edge."
Holland was effusive about halfback Cameron Roigard, who has delivered the long, fast pass that gives his playmakers time to see the picture.
"We have quite good time on the ball because Cam is nailing his pass and length to pass, and our forwards have a little bit of time on the ball to execute and see what's in front of them."
On young fly-half Ruben Love, Holland praised the 24-year-old's mental reset against the Blues, when opposite No. 10 Zarn Sullivan tried to rattle him.
"The ability to really understand — right, what's the next thing for the boys — I think Rubes has really grown in the fact that he understands how he doesn't have to be the guy that does something special. How he can just do the simple things to make things easier on guys around him."
Asked what the Hurricanes expect from the Chiefs when the two titans meet again in the finals window, Holland was blunt.
"Carry clean breakdown. That sets everything up for them. They border on being legal, and that's the beauty around how good they are. That's great coaching, that's great awareness as players to be able to do that."
Holland confirmed he will stay fully embedded with the Hurricanes until July before switching his mindset to the Blues, where he inherits a squad he says has "some exciting young players" and a style he rates for its middle-third dominance.
"I'm a big believer in — you need the balance. You need those experienced guys as many as you can to help bring those young guys through."
It is a simple message from a coach whose last Super Rugby attack has, on the numbers, been anything but.
