Hurricanes rout Lions for bonus point win

The Hurricanes continued with their charge towards the Super 14 Play offs comprehensively beating the Lions by 38 points to 12 in Wellington on Saturday.

 

The result sees the Hurricanes take up second place in the Super 14 table although the third placed Waratahs and fourth placed Chiefs still have matches to play this weekend.

 

The Hurricanes scored five tries to the Lions single try and Ma’a Nonu picked up two tries in the match, the last of which was his sevent this year making him the Super 14’s top try scorer for 2008 so far.

 

The Hurricanes were not at their best in their first game back home after their South African tour but as expected they were, for the most part, far too good for the Lions who remain firmly entrenched at the bottom of the table.

The Hurricanes scored three tries in building a 26-7 lead by half-time but they then went off the boil and it was not until the final quarter before they scoring the bonus point.

However, captain Rodney So’oialo said he never doubted the fourth try would come despite the Lions second half revival.

“We had the game patterns to deliver and we didn’t panic at all.

Obviously it’s an 80 minute game and we really focused hard to get the bonus point.”

The omens looked bad for the Lions from the start when Jaco van Schalkwyk’s kick-off did not go 10 metres, giving the Hurricanes an immediate advantage which was turned into points minutes later with a Willie Ripia penalty.

Young flyhalf Ripia, keeping regular pivot Jimmy Gopperth on the bench for the second consecutive week, scored 11 points from the boot and was instrumental in two of the Hurricanes tries.

After kicking a second penalty he set up the first try with a delicate chip kick which bounced into the arms of teenage winger Zac Guildford.

Ripia landed the conversion and a penalty before Andrew Hore scored the Hurricanes second try, ripping the ball out of Joe van Niekerk’s hands as the Lions tried to run out of trouble from behind their own goal line.

The Lions recovered to score their first try when hooker Willie Wepener was driven across from a lineout close to the line.

Ripia was then again in the action when he re-gathered his own chip kick to send Ma’a Nonu over for his first try.

The Lions had the best of the third quarter but desperate Hurricanes defence restricted them to one try by winger Jannie Boshoff.

The Hurricanes eventually recovered their composure in the 64th minute when Nonu joined in a forward drive to score his second try of the match and seventh of the season.

With time running out the Waldrom brothers capped off the scoring, when Thomas Waldrom set up the break which led to his fellow loose-forward brother Scott getting the fifth touchdown.

 

 

Tries – Zac Guildford, Andrew Hore , Ma’a Nonu (2),Scott Waldrom

Pen – Willie Ripia (3)

Con – Willie Ripia (2)

 

 

Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Touch judges: Julian Pritchard (Australia), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)

Reserves: 16 Hikawera Elliot, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Craig Clarke, 19 Thomas Waldrom, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Jimmy Gopperth, 22 Conrad Smith.

 

Reserves: Ethienne Reynecke, Ross Geldenhuys, Cobus Gobbler, Wilhelm Koch, Chris Jonck, Rudi Vogt, Louis Ludik.