Jordie Barrett stars as 14-man Hurricanes survive late red card scare to overcome Chiefs
An impactful return from injury by Jordie Barrett has handed the Hurricanes their first win of the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign as the overcame the Chiefs 25-18 at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
The 23-year-old fullback put on a masterclass display both from the boot and with ball in hand, finishing the game with a 10 points and two try assists to spare the blushes of teammate Scott Scrafton.
The towering second rower put his team’s chances of victory in jeopardy late on in the contest after he picked up a both a yellow and red card as well as conceding a penalty try, but the exploits of Barrett were enough to guide the visitors to success.
Starting the fixture with a clear determination to put the Chiefs on the back foot, the Hurricanes’ obvious attacking intent was rewarded within the first five minutes after a ton of space opened out wide from a scrum deep in enemy territory.
Jordie Barrett didn’t need a second invitation to take advantage of the Chiefs’ defensive lapse as he slung a looping pass to Kobus van Wyk, who strolled in untouched on the right wing.
Barrett nearly punished the Chiefs again about 10 minutes later when Damian McKenzie failed to find touch from a clearing kick inside his 22.
Instead, the ball landed right in the arms of the Hurricanes fullback, who launched a mammoth drop goal attempt from 45 metres out, only for it to sail astray to the right of the posts.
A string of disciplinary issues on the Hurricanes’ part eventually handed the Chiefs their first scoring opportunity, with McKenzie making amends for his wayward punt by landing an easy penalty attempt from point blank range.
Ill-discipline proved to be a constant theme throughout the first half, with the stop-start nature of the game restricting both side’s ability to unleash their full attacking potential.
A hefty head clash between Chiefs lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Hurricanes flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi only added to the match’s stagnant flow.
Ah Kuoi was worryingly stretchered from the field on a medical cart following a lengthy pause in play, which kick-started an abysmal conclusion to the half for the hosts.
Barrett banged over another short-range penalty after Lachlan Boshier was pinged for a breakdown infringement not long after Ah Kuoi’s injury break, before a Dane Coles intercept in the next sequence of play laid the foundations for a Du’Plessis Kirifi try.
Barrett then flexed his long-distance goal kicking prowess with a thunderous effort from beyond 60 metres on the stroke of half-time to give the Hurricanes a 20-3 lead at the break.
Five months after he stunned onlookers with an outrageously large penalty goal against the Jaguares, Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett has done it again. #CHIvHURhttps://t.co/rwNRn0b4Vj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 5, 2020
That would have given the Chiefs coaching staff some ammunition to launch a spray in the sheds, with assistant coach Neil Barnes using expletives to express his dismay at his side’s lacklustre efforts during a half-time interview.
The two-time Super Rugby champions must have taken their boss’ words of warning on board, as they hammered the opposition defence inside the first 15 minutes of the second half.
The Hurricanes struggled with the inspired fightback, with McKenzie slotting a penalty from one infringement before Scrafton was sent to the sin bin for his team’s severe lack of discipline.
Despite that, the Chiefs couldn’t capitalise on their one-man advantage, with some stern Hurricanes defence reaping some hard-earned reward when they were given a penalty as a result of a Sam Cane shoulder charge on TJ Perenara.
The All Blacks skipper was lucky not to be yellow carded himself for that indiscretion, but karma came back to bite the Chiefs as Ardie Savea and Jamie Booth combined off the back of the scrum to splinter the defensive line inside the opposition half.
Some silky distribution between the replacement halfback, Perenara and Barrett was enough to see Van Wyk through for his second try of the game to push the score out to 25-6.
The Chiefs hit back almost immediately, though, with a break down the right-hand flank by Solomon Alaimalo putting the away side under immense pressure.
Another penalty just five metres from the Hurricanes’ tryline was quickly taken by Damian McKenzie, who threw his body at the line but was held up over the line in a last-ditch effort from Scrafton.
However, a penalty try was called as the returning second rower was offside and took the Chiefs fullback in a high tackle, leading to a second yellow card, meaning he became the first player in Super Rugby Aotearoa to earn a 20-minute red card.
Red card! A second yellow card to Scott Scrafton mean's he is off the field for the rest of the match. #CHIvHUR pic.twitter.com/UJ1JPvDKek
— Super Rugby NZ (@SuperRugbyNZ) July 5, 2020
That appeared to light a spark in the Chiefs’ belly that had been vacant throughout the entirety of the match, as they began to play with the belief that they could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
As such, their attack was direct and intense as the clock ticked closer to the full-time siren, with replacement halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi injecting plenty of impetus from off the bench.
His energetic involvement eventually paid dividends, with a helter-skelter period of play enough to stretch the under-manned Hurricanes defence to the point that Boshier raced in for a try with less than three minutes to play.
That was as close as the Chiefs got to pulling off a miracle comeback, though, as the Hurricanes closed the game off expertly to register their first win of the abbreviated campaign.
The result leaves the winless Chiefs in a deep hole heading into their bye week, which should provide some much-needed time off to bring some clarity and refreshment to Warren Gatland’s struggling side.
As for the Hurricanes, they now sit in fourth spot and could overtake the Highlanders, who they trail by one point, when the two sides face off at Sky Stadium in Wellington next Sunday.
Hurricanes 25 (Tries to Kobus van Wyk (2), Du’Plessis Kirifi; 2 conversions and 2 penalties to Jordie Barrett; yellow card and red card to Scott Scrafton)
Chiefs 18 (Try to Lachlan Boshier, penalty try; 2 penalties to Damian McKenzie)
Comments on RugbyPass
This just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
16 Go to comments