Hurricanes: Mission accomplished
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The Hurricanes bagged maximum points in Sydney after beating the Waratahs 33-12 to keep their Super Rugby play-off hopes alive.
It was a case of mission accomplished for the men from Wellington, who managed to cross the whitewash four times for the all-important bonus point that takes them into seventh on the overall standings.
On the other end of the scale, the Waratahs woes continued after slipping to a record sixth defeat on the trot thanks to the Hurricanes' first win over their trans-Tasman rivals since 2006.
It was also the Waratahs' 10th loss in total for the season, but looked capable of ending their losing drought after holding their visitors to a four-point (9-13) lead at half-time only to fall away in the second half.
The Hurricanes scored the first try of the match through future All Blacks winger Julian Savea eight minutes before half-time, and never looked back as they ended up beating the 'Tahs 20-3 in the second half.
The hosts at one stage came within one point (12-13) of the Kiwis, but unlike the Hurricanes they simply didn't capitalise on their opportunities.
Replacement hooker Motu Matu'u got the ball rolling for the 'Canes in the second half to score in the 63rd minute, before skipper Conrad Smith crossed six minutes later when Berrick Barnes rushed out of the line for an intercept.
The Hurricanes claimed their crucial bonus point when replacement halfback Chris Eaton crossed as the full-time siren.
The scorers:
For Waratahs:
Pens: Barnes 4
For Hurricanes:
Tries: Savea, Matu'u, Smith, C Eaton
Cons: Barrett 2
Pens: Barrett 3
Waratahs: 15 Bernard Foley, 14 Tom Kingston, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Jono Jenkins, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson (c).
Replacements: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Richard Stanford, 19 Lopeti Timani, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Tom Carter
Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Conrad Smith (c), 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben May.
Replacements: 16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Reg Goodes, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Chris Eaton, 21 Tusi Pisi, 22 Jayden Hayward.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Comments
Trader2 says...
Another NZ team winning away from NZ could that be Trinats? I thinks thats about 11 or 12 wins away for the NZ teams as against a massive 3 for the Ozzie boys. I know I have pointed it out to you before but you are pretty slow on the uptake.
On the game jeez the Posers have found another way to lose, they had enough ball in the Canes 22 to put on 50 points, they just keep seeing the newspaper headlines before they do the business, they have to be told that it is odds on you will drop the ball if you are trying to get the comb out of your pocket at the same time.
Posted 15:58 02nd June 2012
Trinats2 says...
Wallaroo:
M.O.M. Bryce Lawernce, how he manufactured a penalty in the last minute to gift the Hurricanes a bouns point, will surely win him best Kiwi of the round in PR team of the week.
Posted 15:07 02nd June 2012
tha_mai says...
are there really eleven Waratahs in the Wallabies squad?
I'll leave the last word to ex-coach Bob Dwyer, 28 May 2012: "the sum total of individual performances will produce a Wallaby squad with a lot of talent."
Hope so, Bob!
Posted 14:47 02nd June 2012
tha_mai says...
Hurricanes have Crusaders, bye, Chiefs after the break; Highlanders have Chiefs, Reds, bye; need to win everything to qualify for top 6. Big improvement on tonight's form needed to win those matches, comfortably beaten by both in earlier rounds.
Waratahs. Four wins and 10 losses. A season best forgotten, so much ball tonight, can't see any positives for them from this game.
Posted 13:29 02nd June 2012
Wallaroo says...
Well done Canes, you whipped the daylights out of us. The less said a bout the Tahs performance or lack thereof the better.
Posted 12:52 02nd June 2012