By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, July 5 (Reuters) - The Wellington Hurricanes blew their best chance of winning a maiden Super Rugby title on Saturday and the concern of their long-suffering fans is what happens next year when conditions might not be so favourable.
It looked like the perfect storm had been brewing for the Hurricanes finally to be crowned southern hemisphere provincial champions ahead of the final against the Otago Highlanders.
Chris Boyd's side had an exceptionally well worked out plan that played to their strengths out wide and was supported by a mobile, ball-playing and aggressive pack.
The players executed the tactics almost to perfection, thrilling their fans with 14 wins in their 16 regular season games.
The team were also riding the emotion from the untimely death of former flanker Jerry Collins and aware that six players, three of them club stalwarts, were leaving after the final.
They could not have picked a worse time to produce their most error-strewn game of the season.
Spurred by a strong defence, an astute tactical game based on kicking for territory and slowing down the quick ball the Hurricanes thrive on, the Highlanders stunned the favourites to claim their first title.
"I'm gutted for management, the players, the club because we deserve better than this," captain Conrad Smith said.
"We made it harder on ourselves. It wasn't their defence, it was usually our own doing.
"It was the spilt ball because we didn't look after it and that cost us more than anything. We still created plenty of opportunities."
Creating more of those opportunities will be at the forefront of many fans minds next year with stalwarts like Smith and his centre partner Ma'a Nonu leaving for contracts in France.
The midfield depth will be sorely tested with Ray Lee-Lo also departing, while workaholic lock Jeremy Thrush is heading to England.
Smith, Nonu and Thrush have all played more than 100 games for the team.
That kind of experience and commitment to the yellow and black jersey will be hard for Boyd to replace.
While the Hurricanes are losing that experience, they have locked in several of their young players.
Dane Coles, James Broadhurst, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett have all had their best seasons in Super Rugby.
They will only get better with exposure to the All Blacks environment, with loose forwards Savea and Shields likely to join the others and take the step up to the test squad in the near future.
Utility back Nehe Milner Skudder also had a breakout year and was named in the extended All Blacks squad, while Otere Black and Callum Gibbins made successful transitions from the wider training group.
Those younger members could also take heart from some parting public words from Smith after 12 seasons and 126 games for the Hurricanes.
"I always try and keep a bit of perspective on things and I'll be telling the guys to lift their heads because there is a lot to be proud of," Smith added.
"It's a game of footy, we lost, that's all there is." (Editing by Nick Mulvenney)