Kiwis sides claim clean sweep as Hurricanes, Blues make statement
SATURDAY WRAP: The Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes all claimed victories to make it a full house for the New Zealand franchises in Super Rugby Pacific following the Highlanders’ win over Moana Pasifika on Friday.
The Hurricanes have run rampant in Wellington to extend their dominance over the Reds and justify their top Super Rugby Pacific billing.
The Reds turnovers in attack and the midfield were punished by the free-wheeling hosts in Saturday’s 52-14 win.
It was the Hurricanes’ 11th successive win over the Reds and 12th consecutive as hosts, dating back to 1998.
The bonus point result snapped a four-game Reds (4-2) winning streak and pushed the Hurricanes (5-1) further ahead at the top of the ladder.
And it left coach Les Kiss with plenty to ponder, given the fourth-placed side will need to find joy in New Zealand this season to have any hope of a top-three finish to earn a home Final.
“The scoreboard is the reality of that performance,” Reds captain Fraser McReight said, admitting there would be plenty of homework ahead of next Saturday’s home clash with the Western Force.
“We were great in that 15 minutes after conceding early points, then went against our game plan, and a good team is going to hold you to it.”
Winger Fehi Fineanganofo had a hat-trick inside the hour as the Hurricanes ran in eight tries, often from Reds turnovers when they were pushing for points.
A disallowed runaway Jordie Barrett try and Reds centre Isaac Henry’s juggling effort from a lineout set piece soon after created a 14-point swing that kept the Reds in it, trailing 24-14 at half-time.
But the Hurricanes, who had already rung up three 50-plus scores this season, were unrelenting.
Warner Dearns plucked a pass and surged over to complete an opportunistic play down the sideline from a loose ball from the line-out.
Then Fineanganofo iced the contest with his second and third tries in quick time, both from midfield Reds turnovers, with 20 minutes still to play.
Vernon Bason’s rolling maul try with five minutes to play brought up the half century, the hosts mixing it up in attack to carve up what has been a tidy Reds defence this season.
Hurricanes cult hero and captain Du’Plessis Kirifi was instrumental in his first start of the season after recovering from a calf injury.
The flanker was ecstatic when he pilfered to stop a near-certain Reds try when the game was already won late in the second half.
“We knew they’d be fast and physical and move us around the park … we used our shoulders to do the talking tonight,” Kirifi said.
“We want that [defence] to be a cornerstone of our game.
“We all have the ability to change the game with our shoulders, then we get the ball in hand.”
Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh was unable to make an impact in his first action of the season, replacing Harry McLaughlin-Phillips after 62 minutes.
The Blues have kept pace with the top of the table with a 40-15 win over the Fijian Drua at Eden Park.
Their forward pack was the difference as hooker Bradley Slater scored twice as they saw off a determined Drua outfit.
The hosts were eager to start amid a host of players out, and Malachi Wrampling got the hosts off to a flyer after slamming the ball down in the sixth minute.
But the Fijian Drua were motivated to rid their away form woes as they answered straight back through Etonia Waqa from close.
Obstruction from the kick-off hurt the Drua, giving the hosts a chance to hit straight back.
Hooker Slater took the offer with both hands, diving over via the rolling maul, which was dominant throughout the contest.
This failed to deter the Drua, who kept pressing the Blues’ line through Waqa and Ponipate Longanimasi.
Waqa’s late first-half break reduced the Blues’ lead to 14-12 at the break when lock Mesake Vocevoce dived over with five minutes left in the half.
A penalty goal to Kemu Valetini gave them the unlikely lead to start the second half.
However, Slater struck for his second, again diving over from the rolling maul as the weight of penalties against the Drua started to take its toll.
Codemeru Vai came off the bench and made a major impact, combining with young gun Payton Spencer to extend the lead.
Spencer then sealed the win with a brilliant length-of-the-field try with 15 minutes to go.
It started with a turnover from Che Clark right on their line, with the quick shift finding Beauden Barrett, turning it back inside for Finlay Christie to kick ahead for the son of Blues legend Carlos.
Caleb Clarke sealed the win and the bonus point with a try in the corner as the siren sounded.
The bonus point win keeps the Blues in touch with the Hurricanes at the top of the ladder, sitting second on points difference.
Meanwhile, the Drua sit in ninth place on the ladder, still searching for their first win over the Blues.
The Western Force’s finals hopes are on life support after they suffered a fighting 24-14 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs in Perth.
In front of 5394 fans at HBF Park on Saturday night, the Force levelled the scores at 14-14 in the 49th minute to threaten an upset.
But the Chiefs’ class shone brightly from that point on, with the visitors scoring the next try and then holding on grimly when Ollie Norris received a yellow card in the 64th minute.
The result leaves the Force (four points) in second-last spot on the table with just one win to show from six games.
The Force’s inability to pick up any losing bonus points also hurt, with just eight more games remaining for them to mount an unlikely finals assault.
The Chiefs rose to fifth and improved their record to 4-2.
Former NRL star Zac Lomax warmed up with the Force in a sign his Super Rugby debut could be just one or two weeks away.
The rain held off for most of Saturday’s match despite Cyclone Narelle having made landfall in Western Australia.
The Force put up a huge defensive effort in the first 20 minutes, but when a crack finally did appear, Chiefs flanker Luke Jacobson barged through it to score the opener in the 22nd minute.
The Chiefs threatened to score a second try shortly after following a fast break, only for Force scrumhalf Henry Robertson to win a vital penalty at the breakdown.
That momentum shift – which included a line-out steal – proved crucial.
When Ben Donaldson launched a high ball, Force centre George Bridge ran hard to take the grab and set off.
A slice of luck fell Bridge’s way when he was tackled, with the ball bobbling backwards to teammate Max Burey, who scored a runaway try to level the scores.
But there were still plenty of worrying signs for the Force with the gaps in defence opening wider and wider.
The Chiefs took full advantage in the 39th minute when flyhalf Josh Jacomb rounded Bridge before sprinting 30m to the line, giving the visitors a 14-7 lead.
The scores were back level in the 49th minute when Force skipper Jeremy Williams took the ball from a ruck and moved it forward a few centimetres to score one of his easier tries.
A rolling maul from the Chiefs sent Samisoni Taukei’aho over in the 58th minute, and a penalty to Damian McKenzie in the 79th minute sealed the win, with the Chiefs’ ability to hold firm when down to 14 men from the 64th to 74th minute proving crucial in the triumph.
Hurricanes 52-14 Reds
Scorers
For the Hurricanes:
Tries: Roigard, Moorby, Fineanganofo 3, Sullivan, Dearns, Bason
Cons: Love 6
For the Reds:
Tries: Henry, Campbell
Cons: McLaughlin-Phillips 2
Teams
Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Billy Proctor, 12.Jordie Barrett (co-captain), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-captain), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Caleb Delany, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia
Replacements: 16 Vernon Bason, 17 Siale Lauaki, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Lucas Cashmore, 23 Jone Rova
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Isaac Henry, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 George Blake, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Treyvon Pritchard
Referee: Angus Mabey
Assistant referees: Paul Williams, Mike Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Blues 40-15 Fijian Drua
Scorers
For the Blues:
Tries: Slater 2, Wrampling, Spencer, Clarke, Vai
Cons: Barrett 5
For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Waqa, Vocevoce
Con: Valetini
Pen: Valetini
Teams
Blues: 15 Payton Spencer, 14 Cole Forbes, 13 AJ Lam, 12 Pita Akhi, 11 Caleb Clarke,10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Malachi Wrampling, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Torian Barnes, 5 Sam Darry (captain), 4 Josh Beehre, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Replacements: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Che Clark, 20 Jed Melvin, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Xaci Taele, 23 Codemeru Vai
Fijian Drua: 15 Iliasia Droasese, 14 Epeli Momo, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Iosefo Namoce, 11 Ponipate Loganimasi, 10 Kemu Valetini, 9 Frank Lomani (captain), 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Mesake Vocevoce, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokolo, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Joseva Tamani, 20 Isoa Tuwai, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 23 Virimi Vakatawa
Referee: Reuben Keane
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronin
Western Force 14-24 Chiefs
Scorers
For the Western Force:
Tries: Burey, Williams
Cons: Donaldson 2
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Jacobson, Jacomb, Taukei’aho
Cons: McKenzie 3
Pen: McKenzie
Teams
Western Force: 15 Max Burey, 14 Darby Lancaster, 13 George Bridge, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Bayley Kuenzle, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (captain), 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Misinale Epenisa, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Divad Palu
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Leroy Carter, 12 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 11 Josh Jacomb, 10 Xavier Roe, 9 Simon Parker, 8 Quinn Tuapea, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Jared Proffit
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Fiti Sa, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Kyle Brown, 23 Kyren Taumoefolau
Referee: Marcus Playle
Assistant referees: James Doleman, Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Glenn Newman
