Eaton, So’oialo, Nonu, Guildford, Jane & Waldrom all ran in tries for the Canes while Piri Weepu converted three tries and showed some soccer skills kicking the ball out of an attacking Cheetah hand preventing a try being scored against his team.
The Hurricanes are in fifth place with 31 points and 1 point behind the 3rd and 4th placed teams who have 32 points. The Cheetahs remain in second last place after suffering their ninth defeat of the season.
The visitors led 21-10 at the interval.
Playing on the rock-hard field of Kimberley, a small diamond mining town in the Northern Cape and the second home of the Cheetahs, the Hurricanes were unstoppable in keeping alive their hopes of reaching the southern hemisphere interprovincial competition’s playoffs.
While the home side were the first to register a score, via a penalty by Conrad Barnard, it was the men from New Zealand who dominated the first period.
They won plenty of ball, and with the Cheetahs missing too many tackles to be a factor, they scored three first half tries through Jason Eaton, Rodney So’oialo and Ma’a Nonu.
Eaton was the first to breach the Cheetahs’ line when he broke through two tackles after the home side had lost their own lineout throw and then just two minutes later it was the turn of Rodney So’oialo, who intercepted a Juan Smith pass to gallop in from well over 50 metres.
Piri Weepu converted both tries to give the visitors a comfortable 14-3 lead.
The Cheetahs though, despite their inefficiencies in defence, asked some questions of the Hurricanes and they were rewarded on 24 minutes when speedy winger Jongi Nokwe rounded off.
But, the Hurricanes, who controlled matters far better than their opponents, finished the first 40 minutes the far stronger outfit and they scored their third try, by Ma’a Nonu, after another elementary error by the Cheetahs.
Prop CJ van der Linde tried a chip kick over the advancing Hurricanes defenders, just to land the ball straight in the hands of lock Jeremy Thrush, who took the ball upfield, for Nonu to finish off.
The Wellington-based side then collected their four-try bonus point almost straight after the restart when Zac Guildford crossed the Cheetahs tryline for his team’s fourth try.
While both sides enjoyed a number of other good try-scoring opportunities in the final quarter, it was the visitors who made the most of the ball that came their way.
Fullback Cory Jane got his team’s fifth try after collecting a clever chip kick over the Cheetahs backs and then with two minutes remaining Thomas Waldrom dived over, after missing a try-scoring chance moments earlier.
Absa Park, Kimberley
Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)
Touch judges: Paul Marks (Australia), Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (South Africa) ,
Cheetahs
Hennie Daniller; Eddie Fredericks, JW Jonker, Meyer Bosman, Jongi Nokwe; Conrad Barnard, Falie Oelschig; Duanne Vermeulen, Juan Smith (capt.), Heinrich Brussow, Barend Pieterse, Rory Duncan, CJ van der Linde, Adriaan Strauss, Wian du Preez.
Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Zac Guildford, Willie Ripia, Piri Weepu, Rodney So’oialo (captain), Scott Waldrom, Chris Masoe, Jason Eaton, Jeremy Thrush, Tim Fairbrother, Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata.
Reserves: Hikawera Elliot, Jacob Ellison, Bernie Upton, Craig Clarke, Brett Goodin, Tane Tu’ipulotu, Tamati Ellison.
