Shields was not trying to downplay the significance of the second semifinal between South Africa’s Lions and the New South Wales Waratahs, the winner of which will host the August 4 final if the Hurricanes defeat the Crusaders.

Instead what the flanker was trying to elucidate was that if they did not play at their best or at a level needed to win a final, they would be returning home from Christchurch on Sunday rather than planning on heading to Johannesburg or Sydney.

“At the end of the day, if you don’t play well and don’t do your own things well, you’ve got no chance,” Shields told reporters this week.

The Hurricanes will need to do everything well to beat the Crusaders, who have named a pack made up of eight All Blacks.

Such is the depth in the eight-times champions that former All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett, the only player to have made more than 200 Super Rugby appearances, did not make the match day 23. Neither did 66-test All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg.

The Crusaders’ success has been built around their pack shutting down the opposition’s attacking options and fly-half Richie Mo’unga directing the team around the field.

They have been clinical in taking their opportunities to the extent that recent wins over the Otago Highlanders (45-22) and the Sharks (40-10), were not accurate reflections as to how well their opposition played.

As if the strength of the Crusaders were not enough, the statistics are also not in favour of the Hurricanes.

They have played the Crusaders four times in the playoffs, three of those at the semifinal stage, and lost every match. All of those games have been in Christchurch.

Departing Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd, however, said while the statistics and home advantage painted a less than rosy picture, all his side could concentrate on was beating a top-class team without any notable weaknesses.

“I don’t think they’ve got that much vulnerability, really,” Boyd, who is joining Northampton at the end of the season, told reporters earlier this week.