Hurricanes seal top spot
The Hurricanes secured top spot on the Super Rugby standings, with a week of the regular season still to go – after they blew an under-strength Highlanders team away at McLean Park in Napier on Friday.
Outscoring the Highlanders by eight tries to three, the Hurricanes record an emphatic 56-20 victory.
It means they can no longer be caught at the top of the global or New Zealand standings, as the Highlanders were the only team that could still have caught them.
It also means they will have a bye in the when the preliminary play-offs get underway in about a fortnight, while they will be able to put a number of key players on ice in next week's final round of league action.
The Hurricanes will also home advantage through the play-offs, as they chase a maiden Super Rugby title.
Wrecking ball centre Ma'a Nonu and nippy scrumhalf TJ Perenara scored two tries apiece, as the Hurricanes bounced back from a heavy loss to the Crusaders last week.
"It's a step in the right direction for us but we've got a wee way to go," captain Conrad Smith said.
"There's a lot of work still to be done, but I'm proud of the way we played."
Despite the defeat, the Highlanders will almost certainly make the play-offs too, but will be concerned at such a comprehensive loss.
They were missing key All Blacks Aaron and Ben Smith and Malakai Fekitoa, who will return to bolster their play-off campaign.
The match began on a sombre note with a minute's silence to honour ex-Hurricane and All Black Jerry Collins, who was killed with his partner in a road accident in France.
The Hurricanes raced to an early 23-3 lead and never looked back, keeping the scoreboard ticking over and suppressing the Highlanders with a crunching defence.
They have lost only two matches out of 15 this season and are runaway leaders on the ladder with 62 points.
The Hurricanes have never won a Super Rugby title, with their best result in 2006 when they lost the final to the Crusaders.
Man of the match: Fumiaki Tanaka made good use of a rare starting opportunity, while Elliot Dixon and John Hardie tried their best. Conrad Smith always puts his hand up, Julian Savea had his batch of power-charges, Beauden Barrett looked solid in his return from injury, TJ Perenara was his usual lively self, Victor Vito and Ardie Savea made life decidedly unpleasant for the Highlanders, James Broadhurst is now the form lock in the competition and Dane Coles was busy. However, our award goes to Hurricanes wing Nehe Milner-Skudder, for the sheer wizardry that he produced in another stand-out performance.
The scorers:
For the Hurricanes:
Tries: Thomson, Marshall, Perenara 2, Coles, J Savea, Nonu 2
Cons: Marshall 5
Pens: Marshall 2
For the Highlanders:
Tries: Tongia, Sopoaga, Banks
Con: Sopoaga
DG: Sopoaga
Yellow card: Gareth Evans (Highlanders, 10 – professional foul, slowing down the ball)
Teams:
Hurricanes: 15 James Marshall, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Reggie Goodes.
Replacements: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Callum Gibbins/Willis Halaholo, 23 Cory Jane/Ma'a Nonu.
Highlanders: 15 Marty Banks, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Jason Emery, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Ryan Tongia, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Elliot Dixon, 7 John Hardie, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Brendon Edmonds.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Joe Latta, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Scott Eade, 22 Shaun Treeby, 23 Kurt Baker.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Shane McDermott, Paul Williams
TMO: Aaron Paterson
