Hurricanes secure top spot with clinical win over Highlanders

The Hurricanes will take the number one seed into the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs, securing top spot with a 45-28 win over the Highlanders in Wellington. Kini Naholo crossed for a double, while Ruben Love starred in yet another statement result.

To the delight of the Wellingtonians braving the cool 13-degree temperatures in the capital, the Hurricanes couldn’t have asked for a much better start. It took the hosts less than two minutes to open the scoring, with Josh Moorby running in his 13^th try of the season.

Backrower Devan Flanders made a telling break downfield, before getting a pass off to inside centre Jone Rova, who found Naholo in open space. The left winger then showcased some quick hands to shovel the ball to Moorby for the five-pointer.

The Highlanders received another blow only four minutes later, with front-rower Daniel Lienert-Brown sent to the sidelines for a head clash. Following the off-field review by the TMO, the decision was upgraded to a red card.

At least four Hurricanes players got their hands on the ball, as the home side looked to make the most of their one-man advantage. Naholo benefited, getting the ball unmarked near the right touchline about eight minutes into the contest.

Love made it two from two with another difficult shot at the poles, as the Hurricanes raced out to a commanding 14-0 lead after nine minutes. The Hurricanes weren’t done there, with Du’Plessis Kirifi the next to pile on points during the early blitz.

Moorby made something special out of nothing. The outside received the ball just outside the Hurricanes’ own 22, and beat five tackle attempts during a run to the opposite A-zone. Moorby completed the speculator highlight, getting a pass off to Kirifi for the try.

It was 21-nil in favour of the hosts, but the Highlanders got themselves back into the contest by the time the half was over. An error from the Canes presented Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens with an outside chance to score, but the fullback showed incredible skill to make the most of it.

The ball fell to the feet of Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, who immediately toed it ahead. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens was locked in a race with opposite Love, who appeared to win the race, but managed to get hands to the ball first – which sat up perfectly, about one metre shy of the dead-ball line.

But the Hurricanes got themselves back into a point-scoring opportunity immediately, and it was All Blacks utility Love who reaped the rewards. Love danced through the Highlanders defensive line to score a brilliant individual effort around the 30-minute mark.

But there was still plenty of rugby to be played before the break. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens put a kick ahead in the 39^th minute, with Moorby taken back into the in-goal, which saw the visitors set up for an attacking scrum.

The Highlanders prepared for one last shot at try line, and executed this play to perfection. Timoci Tavatavanawai powered over the line, with the successful conversion from Cam Millar getting the Highlanders back into the fight and making it a one-score game.

It was a dramatic start to the second stanza, with Hurricanes winger Ngane Punivai shown a yellow card for foul play in the air. But the Highlanders’ one-man advantage didn’t last long, with former All Blacks Sevens flyer Xavier Tito-Harris shown a yellow one minute later.

With 14 playing 14, the Hurricanes made a statement, with Naholo running onto a remarkable offload from Rova out the back of the hand. Naholo crossed for his second of the night, with the Love conversion making it 35-14.

Lucas Casey, who was a standout for the Highlanders last week against the Chiefs, had seemingly hit back for the visitors with a powerful effort. But the TMO intervened, deeming the loose forward had knocked the ball on.

But the Highlanders were still next to strike, with halfback Adam Lennox getting on the scoresheet with a 48th-minute effort. Millar added the extras, making it a 14-point ballgame with about 30 minutes left on the clock.

It was a bit of a theme in this match that every time the Highlanders scored, the Hurricanes seemed to have an answer of their own. Braydon Iose ran in the team’s sixth try, before Love missed a shot at the uprights for the first time in the match.

The Hurricanes continued to search for more points, not taking their foot off the gas. Love took the line on before finding some teammates out wide, with Wales-bound halfback Ereatara Enari crossing in the end.

Pouri Rakete-Stones was shown a yellow card with 14 to play, with the Hurricanes penalised again close to the line. The series of infringements kept the pressure on, as the visiting side chased an almighty comeback.

There was a sense of deja vu when Casey crossed the line for the second time, but this try stood. The backrower peeled off an attacking scrum five metres out from the line, beating a Love tackle attempt.

The Hurricanes played with a majority of possession from there, even getting themselves into a point-scoring position. Rakete-Stones juggled the ball over the goal line, but couldn’t quite regather to score.