Hurricanes rout Tahs; Highlanders beaten
- Dave Worsley
- Mar 29
- 3 min read
Hurricanes win Kini Naholo crossed for a hat-trick as the Hurricanes were back in the form that won them the minor premiership last year.
The Canes may have had tries scored against to start each half but still came away winners 57-12 in Wellington
In total, the Hurricanes scored 35 unanswered points to run away with the contest.
Cam Roigard was again a standout with a try and an allround performance while captain Asofa Aumua also crossed for a try.
The win gives the Canes a 3-3 record for the season so far.
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Meanwhil the Highlanders were beaten 34-27 by the Brumbies in Canberra
Len Ikitau scored a 78th minute match-winner but the game was still alive deep in the red after Caleb Tangitau's 80th minute effort.
Andy Muirhead, Corey Toole, Allan Alaalatoa and Billy Pollard all crossed for ACT while Tangitau's brace headlined a bonus-point effort featuring tries to Jona Nareki and Sam Gilbert.
The Highlanders' fightback was impressive after trailing 15-5 at halftime with Gilbert's 66th minute penalty goal putting the visitors ahead 22-15 in the final quarter.
But the Brumbies' scrum proved decisive, racking up five unanswered scrum penalties to set up Muirhead's crucial 72nd-minute try before Ikitau and Tangitau traded late scores to set up an explosive finish.
Needing a converted try in overtime, the Highlanders even threatened to take the contest to golden point but fell undone in the 84th minute with an error, ending yet another thriller in this superb Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Brumbies started on the backfoot, losing Corey Toole to the sinbin inside the first 15 seconds with a clunky head clash in the opening tackle from kick-off.
With the numerical advantage, winger Jona Nareki released fellow wideman Caleb Tangitau for the match's opening try.
The Highlanders didn't score again for the half as the Brumbies took control.
Billy Pollard finished a mighty 17-phase move and captain Allan Alaaatoa cashed in after a rolling maul, splitting his ear in the process.
The Highlanders blew a couple of chances to retake the lead, with Gilbert going over but being found to have knocked on earlier in the move, before Thomas Umaga-Jensen coughed up the ball with the try line in sight.
The visiting side had been starved of the ball and looked shaky with it - until they emerged from half-time.
They put on 14 points in 14 minutes to steal the lead, with Gilbert making amends after slick work from Tangitau, before Nareki screamed through the lines to score the game's best try.
Larkham withdrew Rob Valentini, still recovering from a hamstring injury, on the hour mark as the contest steadied for a decisive final quarter.
The Brumbies returned to their patient first-half ways, Toole sidestepping over the line to finish after 13 phases, and they retook the lead at 20-19.
Falling behind again to a Gilbert penalty, the Brumbies made sure the next lead-change was the last, improving their impressive home record to 18 wins from their last 21.
For the Highlanders, it was another case of close but no cigar. All six of their matches have been decided by eight points or less, with losses in four of them.
Brumbies 34 (Len Ikitau, Adam Muirhead, Corey Toole, Allan Alaalatoa, Billy Pollard tries; Jack Debreczini 2, Noah Lolesio cons) def Highlanders 27 (Caleb Tangitau 2, Sam Gilbert, Jona Nareki tries; Gilbert 2 cons)
Hurricanes 57 ( Kini Naholo 3, Cam Roigard, Asafo Aumua, Penalty try, Ngane Punivai, Brad Shields, Bailny Sullivan, Riley Hohepa 4, Ruben Love 1 con) Waratahs 12 ( Lawson Creighton, Archie Saunders tries, Creighton 1 con).
The Highlanders have come close to stealing a win off the Brumbies in Canberra only to fall 34-27.
The home side 15-5 lead at the break, boasting three-quarters of the territory and possession in the first half.
However, the Highlanders roared back with two tries in 15 minutes, leading by four and eyeing an away win. They eventually came undone in the 84th minute with an error ending their chances.
Wing Caleb Tangitau starred once again for the Highlanders with a try in each half with Sam Gilbert and Jona Nareki the other players to dot down.
In the other Super Rugby game last night the Hurricanes thrashed the Waratahs 57-12 in Wellington with Kini Naholo scoring a hat-trick of tries.
