This will be the first Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and Fijian Drua.
The Hurricanes have won six of their last eight games in the competition when facing a team for the first time on the day (L2) – one of those two defeats did come in their most recent fixture (24-19 v Moana Pasifika – 25 March 2022).
- The Fijian Drua have won only one of their 10 Super Rugby matches (L9), a 31-26 victory against the Melbourne Rebels (4 March 2022); they have lost seven consecutive games since then.
- The Hurricanes lost their most recent Super Rugby match against opposition from outside New Zealand (42-25 v Brumbies – 1 May 2022); they will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats in such fixtures for the first time since February 2018.
- The Canes have won five of their last seven matches at Sky Stadium (L2), after winning only three of their previous eight games at home (L5).
- The Drua (77%) and Hurricanes (77%) have the lowest maul success rates of any teams this campaign.
- Only the Blues (12) have made more offloads resulting in a break than the Hurricanes (11) and Fijian Drua (11) in 2022.
- The Hurricanes (5) and Fijian Drua (4) are the only teams to have scored more than one try from a tap penalty this season.
- The Hurricanes have made dominant contact on 31 carries per game, the most of any team in the competition, and nine per game more than Drua (22).
Player to watch
- Salesi Rayasi has scored five tries in his five Super Rugby Pacific starting appearances, including one in each of his last two.
- Vinaya Habosi has made 43 tackle breaks, the most of any player in the competition, and 11 more than Hurricanes’ best Jordie Barrett (32).
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway at the Cake Tin in Wellington.
3.00: An 18-phase Hurricanes attack ends near the Fijian Drua line after Salesi Rayasi dropped the ball.
4.00: Superb defensive display by the Drua, they had to make 27 tackles in two attacks in four minutes.
6.00: Kitione Salawa wins another relieving penalty at the breakdown after a nine-phase attack near the Drua line.
8.00: Fijian Drua clear the danger after another Hurricanes attack.
11.00: The Fijians play a bit too much; they kick when they should run; run when they should pass; pass when they should kick.
12.00: Tyrel Lomax pinged for collapsing, Caleb Muntz clears to halfway.
14.00: TRY! The Hurricanes go wide from the lineout to Josh Moorby, who bounces off a tackle to open the scoring. 5-0
16.00: CONVERSION! Aidan Morgan. 7-0
18.00: TJ Perenara wins a penalty at the ruck after the Drua doesn’t release.
19.00: TRY! Moorby’s linebreak opens up the visitors. The fullback’s elusive run saw Tyler Laubscher and TJ Perenara go close. The Canes sent the ball wide to Asafo Aumua, on the wing, to score. 12-0
21.00: MISS! Morgan cannot convert. 12-0
24.00: The visitors have managed to stop the bleeding.
27.00: Bailyn Sullivan hits the line, but Billy Proctor cannot gather the pass; instead, he boots the ball over the dead-ball line.
28.00: TRY! Morgan sent Salesi Rayasi through a gap with a deft pass. Rayasi charged down the wing before drawing the last defender to put Proctor away. 17-0
30.00: CONVERSION! Morgan slots the wide kick. 19-0
32.00: Salesi Rayasi made another break on the wing, but the Drua give away a penalty; Morgan boots to the 22.
33.00: TRY! The Canes go quickly off the top of the lineout to TJ Perenara. The halfback sends a long cutout pass to Bailyn Sullivan, who plays Moorby. The fullback fends off Selestino Ravutaumada to score his second. 24-0
34.00: CONVERSION! Morgan slots the kick. 26-0
37.00: It’s all Hurricanes. Jason Holland’s men are killing the visitors in the wide channels, and the Fijians are dropping off first-time tackles at an alarming rate.
39.00: Fijian Drua needs a late score to stop the bleeding. However, the forwards go off their feet to give away a clearing penalty.
41.00: The hooter sounds, the ball is booted into touch.
The halftime score was Hurricanes 26 Fijian Drua 0
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in New Zealand.
42.00: TRY! Another try off the back of a quick lineout near the Drua try line. The canes went quickly to Morgan, who combined with Sullivan to send Goosen away untouched in the corner. 31-0
44.00: MISS! The kick is well wide. 31-0
45.00: Caleb Muntz’s restart goes directly into touch. Oh boy!
48.00: TRY! Goosen has a brace. Tyler Laubscher, on debut, is having a great game, the number eight was involved twice in Goosen’s try with two barnstorming runs before popping to the winger to score. 36-0
49.00: CONVERSION! Morgan makes ni mistake. 38-0
51.00: TRY! Isaia Walker-Leawere takes Tyler Laubscher’s deft pass, breaks a couple of tackles, and races away to score. 43-0
53.00: CONVERSION! Morgan slots the kick. 45-0
57.00: TRY! Rayasi beats two defenders and drags one over the line after Morgan sent the winger away down the sideline. 50-0
59.00: MISS! No good. 50-0
63.00: TRY! Morgan sends Proctor away untouched. 55-0
65.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 55-0
67.00: TRY! Onisi Ratave slips a tackle and beats the last defender to put his side on the scoresheet. 55-5
68.00: MISS! Muntz cannot add the extras. 55-5
69.00: Riley Higgens becomes the youngest ever Hurricanes player.
72.00: HAT-TRICK! Moorby has three. 60-5
73.00: CONVERSION! Morgan cannot miss. 62-5
78.00: TRY! Justin Sangster crashes over for a maiden SR score. 67-5
80.00: MISS! Another kick is missed. 67-5
82.00: YELLOW CARD! Higgins goes to the bin. 67-5
84.00: Drua are working their way down the field, but they might as well boot the ball out than try pretend to play rugby now.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Hurricanes 67 (26) Fijian Drua 5 (0)
Scorers
Hurricanes
Tries – Moorby (3), Aumua, Proctor (2), Goosen (2), Walker-Leawere, Rayasi, Sangster
Pen –
Con – Morgan (6)
Drop –
Cards – Higgins (Yellow, 82′)
Fijian Drua
Tries – Ratave
Pen –
Con –
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 1: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2: Dan Waenga
TMO: Chris Hart
Teams
Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Billy Proctor, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Aidan Morgan, 9 TJ Perenara (captain), 8 Tyler Laubscher, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Blake Gibson, 5 Justin Sangster, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Caleb Delany, 20 TK Howden, 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Riley Higgens.
Fijian Drua: 15 Kitione Taliga, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Apsialome Vota, 12 Jona Mataiciwa, 11 Kitione Ratu, 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Meli Derenalagi (captain), 5 Sorovakatini Tuifagalele, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Tevita Ikanivere, 17 Meli Tuni, 18 Manasa Saulo, 19 Chris Minimbi, 20 Joseva Tamani, 21 Leone Nawai, 22 Teti Tela, 23 Onisi Ratave.