“This club has been some of the best years of my career,” said Anderson, 26, with his voice wavering.
“It’s a special group of lads. We’ve been together now for three or four years.
Final yelp: Devan Flanders of the Hurricanes scores a try.Credit: Getty Images
“We spoke about playing a brand of rugby that gets people excited, and anyone who has supported us the last two, three, four years, [have] seen that.”
He said the playing cohort had focused on the right way of writing the club’s “last chapter” – whenever that occurred in the Super Rugby finals.
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“So whenever that was – today, next week, or the final, we spoke about we get to finish it how we want. You saw the passion in that performance tonight, the first 20 minutes especially.
“I’m very proud of the boys, and the adversity we faced on and off the field, and the way we stuck together.”
Melbourne threw everything at the Hurricanes early on, and unsettled the home side with their rushing defence.
They became the first team this season to stop the Hurricanes scoring a try in the opening 20 minutes, twice holding the home side up over the line with some desperate defence.
But the Rebels’ 3-0 lead evaporated four minutes later when prop Pasilio Tosi barrelled over the line.
Another Rebels penalty closed the gap to 7-6, but twice Carter Gordon failed to find touch with clearing kicks and the Hurricanes went into halftime up 14-6, with centre Joshua Moorby finding a hole to score in the 39th minute.
Filipo Daugunu and Lachie Anderson of the Rebels react at the final whistle.Credit: Getty Images
The Wellington men also struck first in the second half, with All Black centre Jordie Barrett slipping out of a Rob Leota tackle before finding No.8 Brayden Iose.
Two more tries within three minutes meant there was a mountain to climb for the Rebels, with the lead out to 35-6 after 57 minutes.
Anderson finally opened the Rebels’ try-scoring account in the 65th minute when he ran on to an off-load from his skipper Leota.
He was in again two minutes later after a charging run by reserve Melbourne back-rower Vaiolini Ekuasi.
Two late Hurricanes tries, scored by reserves Du’Plessis Kirifi and Kini Naholo, meant the scoreline blew out, with their team marching on to next week’s semi-finals.
AAP, with Scott Spits
Source Agencies
