'Shell-shocked' record-breaker Bailyn Sullivan on magnitude of Chiefs upset

No player in Super Rugby history had scored four tries off the bench before Saturday’s Kiwi derby between the Hurricanes and Chiefs, before Bailyn Sullivan’s cameo in the No. 23 jersey.

It was a concerning non-contact injury to Kini Naholo that got the midfielder off the bench in just the seventh minute, forcing him onto the wing.

Yet even with little recent experience on the right wing in the Hurricanes’ attack, Sullivan was able to take some cues on the fly to see him through the 73 minutes, holding the edge and profiting in historic fashion.

“I was actually pretty shell-shocked, the whole week, training at midfield and swapping with Billy (Proctor),” Sullivan told Jason Pine of Newstalk ZB, reflecting on the moment he was called into the contest.

“I haven’t had too many reps on the wing. I just had to trust myself and trust what I do on the field. I guess you get four tries out of it.”

The 26-year-old scored all four of his tries in a rampant second half, swiftly leaving an eight-point halftime deficit in the dust. In addition to conceding 26 points, the Chiefs were held scoreless in the second period.

Sullivan, an All Blacks XV and Maori All Blacks representative, said the locker room at halftime was composed as the team plotted their comeback.

“It was actually pretty calm. We had a backs meeting and the boys were really calm, we were really clear on what our next jobs needed to be. It was just down to executing it.

“The forwards played their role as well, and it all came together in that second half. It was really cool.”

Helping the Hurricanes’ revival was a yellow card to Chiefs star fullback Shaun Stevenson, who was sin-binned for a high hit on Riley Higgins.

“With Shaun Stevenson going on the naughty chair, we exploited that opportunity going wide with kick space in behind. I think we did really well and took our opportunities. I guess it paid off.”

Sullivan has been in superb form this season, starting at centre until a recent trip to Canberra, where All Black Billy Proctor made his way back into the starting unit following an Achilles injury.

A defensive standout, Sullivan was unlucky to have a teammate of the quality of Proctor to keep him on the sidelines. He adopted a team-first approach to the relegation.

“Obviously, I was a little bit gutted, but I’m happy to step down or step aside to let (Proctor) come through. He’s an awesome player and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

“He’s performing really well at the moment, why not keep him in that jersey? Obviously, I am pretty gutted about it, but it’s for the betterment of the team, and I’m just here to make sure our team’s making that semi-final. It is what it is.”

Should Naholo’s injury be a long-term one, there will, however, be more opportunities on the wing. Sullivan would likely be competing with former All Blacks Sevens ace Fehi Fineanganofo for selection.

“Yeah, 100 per cent. I’ve played a lot of NPC on the wing. When I was at the Chiefs previously, I played on the wing.

“I’ll always back myself on the wing. Being in the midfield, you obviously get a lot more ball, but wingers get busy and you get tries like that. It’s an opportunity I’ve got to take, and hopefully for Kini, it’s not as serious as we all think it is at the moment.”

In the context of the Hurricanes’ season, the upset win over the Chiefs was a major boost for a team in the thick of a tight playoff race.

“It’s really important, not only just for the table but for us as a team. We really strive to win every game, and some games just haven’t been going our way. So, I think as a team, this has connected us a lot more, and the proof is in the pudding.”