Moana keep play-offs hopes alive, Crusaders defy stats, 'Canes upset Brumbies

WRAP: A comprehensive 34-15 win by Moana Pasifika has kept the side in the finals hunt after taking down the Fijian Drua.

The Drua enjoyed early territory and possession but had little luck converting that into points.

It allowed Moana Pasifika to weather the storm and eventually strike for the opener in the 25th minute.

Danny Toala started and finished the move as the backs combined for a well-worked try when Toala dived over following centre partner Lalomilo Lalomilo’s strong burst.

Five minutes later, the hosts extended their lead as Miracle Fai’ilagi dived over from short.

Moana Pasifika had a 17-0 at the break when Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa powered over three minutes from half-time.

Fai’ilagi had a second after the break as the hosts looked to run away with the game.

Hooker Tevita Ikanivere kept the Drua in the game when the replacement raced away for their first points.

The Savea brothers looked to steady the ship, with Ardie nearly producing the try of the year when the flanker kicked for himself and re-collected, only for the masterpiece to be brought back for a mistake in the build-up.

Nonetheless, older brother Julien showed the Moana captain how it’s done when he dived over untouched in the corner two minutes later.

It was his 63rd Super Rugby try, two behind Hurricanes and All Blacks legend TJ Perenara and one behind Crusader Sevu Reece.

Taniela Rakuro hit instantly back when the ball spilled out just after the kick-off and the winger showed his pace to keep the Drua in the game.

The visitors kept the pressure on but in the story of the game, Moana Pasifika stood up when it mattered as Tevita Ofa sealed the win and maximum points with three minutes to go.

The win sees the hosts move into seventh spot, just a point behind the sixth-place NSW Waratahs, although the Highlanders and Hurricanes still remain to be played.

As for the Fijian Drua, they face a hefty fight to get off the bottom of the ladder after their eighth loss of the year.

*The Crusaders have defied the stats for a 43-10 thumping win over the Highlanders.

The visitors made nearly 120 more tackles than the Highlanders, but they dominated the scoreboard to earn the bonus-point win.

The Highlanders had 66 percent territory across the 80 minutes yet time and time again found themselves consumed by the red wall.

It was the Will Jordan show early as the fullback torched the Highlanders for the opening two tries.

The All Blacks gun sliced through the line in the ninth minute before sprinting away for the first try of the game.

Jordan made it two after putting Macca Springer into space, with the winger drawing the fullback for the easy try.

The Highlanders kept the pressure on and eventually found themselves with the numbers advantage when Codie Taylor went to the bin.

However, this failed to slow the momentum of the visitors as they kept the pressure on even down the hooker.

Taylor would return from the bin and score almost instantly for a 21-0 lead.

The lead would stay this way heading into half-time despite multiple minutes of the Highlanders pressing the Crusaders’ line.

This theme continued into the second half as the hosts had little luck breaking the Crusaders down.

After close to 65 percent possession, the Highlanders finally found a way over through Jonah Lowe.

This sparked the Crusaders into action as any hopes of a comeback were shut down two minutes later when Corey Kellow scored.

Chay Fihaki sealed the win with a lovely individual effort fresh off the bench with his first touch of the game.

Veveni Lasaqa got a consolation try for the hosts but the night was all about the Crusaders as Taylor’s second sealed the win.

*The Brumbies have blown a golden chance to maintain contact with the Super Rugby Pacific ladder leaders after an upset loss to the Hurricanes in Canberra.

The third-placed Brumbies hadn’t lost at home to the Hurricanes, who sit eighth on the table, since 2017 and had won five of their past six clashes.

But they couldn’t catch the men from Wellington, going down in a thriller 35-29 on Saturday.

Burly Hurricanes winger Kini Naholo steamrolled his rivals to score two tries in a stand-out performance in the capital.

Australia’s top-ranked side started well, with skipper Allan Alaalatoa burrowing his way over the line in the eighth minute.

But in keeping with the theme of the night, each time they scored the visitors answered with a try of their own.

Centre Billy Proctor was first across the tryline, running on to a massive cut-out pass from Callum Harkin, followed up by Ngantungane Punivai to give the Hurricanes a 10-5 lead.

Brumbies flanker Luke Reimer then sniffed out a try, only for Naholo to hit back three minutes later after some neat lead-up work by Ruben Love and Harkin, with the Hurricanes taking a 20-15 lead into halftime.

With the Brumbies only managing 32 per cent of possession and 23 per cent of territory, they had to work for every point, but newly re-signed Len Ikitau came up trumps with the first try of the second half.

But Naholo used his speed and brute strength to cut a swathe through the Brumbies defence, and his team were out to an eight-point lead, which soon became 13 thanks to Punivai’s second.

In typical Brumbies fashion they kept coming and were eventually rewarded with winger Andy Muirhead crossing in the corner in the 70th minute, with Noah Lolesio adding the extras from the sideline.

The home side had plenty of time to score the winning try, but a series of poor decisions and errors proved costly.

Moana Pasifika 32-15 Fijian Drua

The scores:

For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Toala, Fai’ilagi 2, Tupou Ta’eiloa, J. Savea, Ofa
Cons: Garden Bachop

Fijian Drua:
Tries: Ikanivere, Rakuro;
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula
Pens: Armstrong-Ravula

Teams:

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Fine Inisi, 13 Lalomilo Lalamilo, , 12 Danny Toala, 11 Fine Inisi, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Ardie Savea (captain), 6 Miracle Faiilagi, 5 Samuel Slade, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Tito Tuipulotu.
Replacements: 16 Tomasi Maka, 17 Monu Moli, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Allan Craigm, 20 Sione Havili Talitui, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Patrick Pellegrini, 23 Julian Savea

Fiji Drua: 15 Vuate Karawelavu, 14 Taniela Rakuro, 13 Inia Tabuavou, 12 Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Ponipate Longanimasi, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Kitione Salawa, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Leone Rotuisolia, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Samu Tawake, 2 Mesulame Dolokoto (captain), 1 Peni Ravai.
Replacements: 16 Tevita Ikanivere, 17 Meli Tuni, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Leone Nawai, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Selestino Ravutaumada

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Marcus Playle
TMO: Glenn Newman

Highlanders 10-43 Crusaders

For Highlanders:
Tries: Lowe, Lasaqa

For Crusaders:
Tries: Jordan 2, Taylor 2, Kellow, Fihaki
Cons: Reihana 5
Pen: Reihana

Teams: 

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13 Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 12 Jake Te Hiwi, 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Folau Fakatava, 8 Will Stodart, 7 Sean Withy, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Saula Ma’u, 2 Soane Vikena, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Jack Taylor, 17 Josh Bartlett, 18 Sefo Kautai, 19 Oliver Haig, 20 Veveni Lasaqa, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Sam Gilbert, 23 Josh Whaanga

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Dallas McLeod, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Xavier Saifoloi, , 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Kershawl Skyes-Martin, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Chay Fihaki

Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Markey, Jackson Henshaw
TMO: Brett Cronan

Brumbies 29-35 Hurricanes

For Brumbies:
Tries: Alaalatoa, Reimer, Ikitau, Muirhead
Cons: Lolesio 3
Pen: Lolesio

For Hurricanes:
Tries: Proctor, Punival 2, Naholo 2
Cons: Love 2
Pens: Love 2

Teams: 

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Tuanina Taii Tualima, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Rhys van Nek, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Ngane Punivai, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Riley Higgins, 11 Kini Nanolo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-captain), 6 Brad Shields (co-captain), 5 Zach Gallagher, 4 Caleb Delany, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Raymond Tuputupu, 1 Tevita Mafileo
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Will Tucker, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Riley Hohepa, 23 Bailyn Sullivan

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey, Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly

Sources: SuperRugby & AAP