Hurricanes continue winning ways after beating Highlanders

The Hurricanes beat the Highlanders 21-14 in an error-strewn Super Rugby Pacific Kiwi derby at Sky Stadium, Wellington.

The Hurricanes’ three tries to two win saw a sixth victory over the Highlanders in the previous seven encounters.

The Dunedin-franchise has now also lost their last seven Super Rugby derbies versus New Zealand opposition, which is a problem for Tony Brown.

The game only burst into life in the second stanza. Both sides notched two converted tries after a dull first 40 minutes saw just seven points.

Pouri Rakete-Stones dotted down in only his third Super Rugby start for a maiden tournament try in the first half.

Billy Proctor crossed 10 minutes after the restart, and Logan Henry scored on debut as the Hurricanes stayed ahead.

Jordie Barrett converted all three tries, although he did have a poor day from the tee, missing two penalties.

Manaaki Selby-Rickit also scored his maiden Super Rugby try when he made his way over the chalk on 58 minutes to get his side on the scoreboard.

Marty Banks’ wide conversion made it a one-score 14-7 ball game going into the last quarter.

Josh Dickson crashed over on 75 minutes to give the Landers a late sniff after Banks converted.

It was not to be, the Canes held out for their second win of the season, and seventh home victory in a row against the Landers.

The Hurricanes led 7-nil at halftime after a listless, mistake-riddled Super Rugby contest

Despite the Highlanders dominating possession (60%) and territory (74%) in the first stanza, they were their own worst enemies.

Brown’s charges conceded six penalties and 10 turnovers. They made seven handling errors and missed five tackles, one of which cost his team seven points.

Mitch Hunt’s radar was off, he missed two penalties and missed a couple of penalty touch-finders as the Landers went scoreless.

The Landers made three linebreaks inside enemy territory, but more errors cost them points.

Barrett was involved in two try-saving tackles. He stopped Connor Garden-Bachop after initially combining to tackle Liam Coombes-Fabling with Jamie Booth, after a first-phase lineout move.

Barrett missed an early penalty from about 35 metres in front when he hit the post.

Hunt’s carbon-copy miss from closer also hit the post as the score remained nil-all after nine minutes.

The only real action came from Rakete-Stones’ barnstorming run for the prop’s maiden Super Rugby try on 11 minutes.

Rakete-Stones took Ruben Love’s deft pass and barged through Hugh Renton – a late change for James Lentjes – to open the scoring. Barrett could not miss.

Coombes-Fabling’s winding run, and Connor Garden-Bachop’s near score, was as good as it got for the visitors, who struggled with the ball in hand and the boot.

Hunt missed a 32nd-minute penalty to keep the Otago side at zero as the teams went into the shed.

Another scrappy half saw both teams scoring two converted tries apiece to cap a frustrating Super Rugby contest

Barrett missed a 53-metre long penalty from in front four minutes after the restart. The game continued to infuriate.

Bailyn Sullivan’s midfield break kick-started an 11-phase attack that finished with Proctor crashing over from an angled run next to the posts.

Barrett could not miss, putting his side two-goal ahead.

But the visitors came back, almost scoring but for Coombes-Fabling dropping a cross-kick that would have given the winger a walk-over try.

The Canes leaked penalties inside their 22, the ref warned Ardie Savea about multiple infringements in the ‘red zone’.

It did not matter. Another attack on the goal line eventually ended in success for the Dunedin side.

Hooker Liam Coltman could not gather a pass, the ball bounced back off his arm/shoulder and a Hurricanes’ defender, and into Selby-Rickit’s path.

Selby-Rickit collected the loose ball and spun out of three tackles to put his team on the board just before the hour mark.

The try was only awarded following a long TMO review.

Banks took over kicking duties from Hunt and duly added the extras to halve the deficit to seven.

The visitors could not make their momentum count, and it proved their downfall.

With 11 minutes remaining, Peter Umaga-Jensen burned Scott Gregory on the outside before sending Henry away for a try next to the posts.

Barrett’s third conversion reopened the two-goal lead.

The Highlanders, however, strung together 12 phases to set up Dickson’s score. It gave Brown’s men a chance at salvaging something from the game.

Banks made it 21-14 with four and a half to play, but time ran out, and the hosts hung on for another home win.

Final Score: Hurricanes 21 (7) Highlanders 14 (0)

Scorers

Hurricanes
Tries – Rakete-Stones, Proctor, Henry
Pen –
Con – J. Barrett (3)
Drop –
Cards –

Highlanders
Tries – Selby-Rickit, Dickson
Pen –
Con – Banks (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 1: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2: Jono Bredin
TMO: Glenn Newman

Teams

Hurricanes 

15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Billy Proctor, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Jamie Booth, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones

Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Devan Flanders, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Logan Henry, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Peter Umaga-Jensen

Highlanders

15 Connor Garden-Bachop, 14 Sam Gilbert, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 11 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 10 Mitch Hunt (captain), 9 Folau Fakatava (captain), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Hugh Renton, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Josh Dickson, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ethan de Groot

Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Scott Gregory