Kini Naholo of the Hurricanes celebrates scoring try during Super Rugby Pacific - Hurricanes v Chiefs at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 13 April 2024. Photo: Photosport / Elias Rodriguez
The Hurricanes have been doing their best to replicate the Fiji heat in Wellington.
The table topping side are seeking an eighth straight win when they take on the Fijian Drua in Suva on Friday night.
The unbeaten Hurricanes are favourites to win, but coach Clark Laidlaw believes beating the Drua in Fiji is one of the toughest challenges in Super Rugby Pacific.
Clark Laidlaw head coach of the Hurricanes before Super Rugby Pacific - Hurricanes v Chiefs at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 13 April 2024. Photo: Photosport / Elias Rodriguez
"We understand the challenge. We know the atmosphere we're going to get in Suva. They love their rugby and I think it might be the Drua's only game across in Suva this season.
"We're well aware of what we're walking into but can we deal with it? No other team has yet this year and there's only one team that's won there in eight or nine attempts in Fiji.
"It's a big challenge, it's probably as big as it gets."
The heat and humidity in Fiji has proved tough for visiting teams, with several Crusaders players on the cusp of needing hospital treatment for heat stroke following their loss in Lautoka earlier this season.
Crusaders players struggled in the Fiji heat. Photo: Photosport / Andrew Cornaga
The organisers of Super Rugby Pacific have also made moves to tackle the Fijian conditions, creating room for more heat-related interventions, such as drinks breaks, in future home games for the Drua.
The Hurricanes have taken matters into their own hands, using a heat and altitude chamber at their training facility at the New Zealand Campus for Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in Upper Hutt.
The room can recreate conditions up to 35 degrees Celsius, 100% humidity and 3500 metres above sea level.
"We've been doing our heat prep for three weeks. We've had all our team meetings this week in the chamber," Laidlaw said.
"We've made things a bit chaotic, training and the meetings, with a lens to try and cope with the conditions and the atmosphere, because you don't often get crowds that close with that kind of noise."
Hurricanes TJ Perenara during a Hurricanes media and training session at the NZCIS in Upper Hutt on the15th April 2024. Photo: Photosport
Though Laidlaw is wary of letting the Suva heat overly influence his side's preparation.
"You can try to slow the game down too much and stop looking for opportunities. We've talked a lot about going over there and playing our own game. That's a trap you can fall into is trying to change your game too much and potentially playing into their hands."
"Yeah you've got to be conscious and aware of the heat but we've prepared well, we've played the Western Force in 35 degrees."
The seventh placed Drua are unbeaten at home in 2024, having notched up wins over the Crusaders, NSW Waratahs and Western Force.
Clark said there's something special about Fijian fans.
"The crowd, the noise they generate and their passion for rugby, sevens and fifteens, is huge. The Drua are really keen to play the top teams and beat the top teams and they are a different animal over there."
