Jordie Barrett's sideline conversion hands Hurricanes a two-point win
One way or the other a Barrett had to decide the outcome. On this occasion, Jordie took the spoils.
With the scores level and time almost up, Jordie Barrett slotted a clutch sideline conversion as the Wellington crowd chanted his name to steal a 29-27 victory for the Hurricanes and trump older brother Beauden.
Jordie had the chance to slot the match-winner after Asafo Aumua’s 76th minute lineout drive over try broke the deadlock – referee Ben O’Keeffe seeing enough of a grounding under a heap of bodies to rule on field try, and television match official James Doleman not seeing anything to overturn the original decision.
The cool strike was another telling moment in what is a turning point of a season for the younger Barrett, who continues to come of age at fullback for the Hurricanes.
While the Barretts were the focal point of a match that delivered eight tries and lived up to the hype, Ngani Laumape was the star performer. The Hurricanes second five-eighth sent the All Blacks selectors a clear message with his damaging carries and strong defensive efforts to complement his opening try.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCxwfDDguV3/
Beauden Barrett’s return to Wellington produced no shortage of storylines as he scored one superb try, had two Laumape nightmares and finished the match with a taped-up head. But it was his younger brother who had the final and deciding say.
The Blues stayed in the fight, while attempting to survive with minimal ball, but this loss significantly hurts their prospects. Two defeats on the bounce, after falling away in the final quarter in Christchurch last week, sees them drop to 3-2 and remain five points behind the Crusaders.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, continue their largely unheralded resurgence. After losing their first two games, including their opener at Eden Park, Jason Holland’s men have now recorded three victories in a row.
The Blues lineout drive was the best part of their game. Successive strikes from Akira Ioane and Kurt Eklund midway through the second half turned a deficit into a five-point advantage for the Blues and until the closing stages it looked as though that would be enough.
The Hurricanes, though, found the necessary character to respond at the death.
Blues openside Dalton Papalii led anther committed defensive performance and he also snaffled crucial breakdown turnovers and his fourth try of the season.
But for all their obvious progress the Blues now face a mental test to rise for the remainder of the season.
On his first trip to Wellington since leaving the Hurricanes, there was no keeping Beauden Barrett out of this match.
First Laumape stood Barrett up with a brilliant in and away to claim the opening try. Locals then let Barrett know their feelings about his deflection by booing his first touch.
Me oh my. Welcome back to Wellington, Beauden. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #HURvBLUhttps://t.co/vUN1KHlYZH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 18, 2020
In a classic rocks to diamonds moment Barrett responded with a show and go to burst between TJ Perenara and Tyrel Lomax and score the Blues first try untouched.
Not long after Laumape was at it again by steamrolling Barrett before being brought down just short.
You could not have asked for much more from a first half that delivered four tries and one other to Jordie Barrett that was rightly ruled out due to a forward pass.
The Hurricanes controlled much of the ball and territory and enjoyed a one-man advantage when rookie Blues wing Emoni Narawa was yellow-carded in the 13th minute for laying in the ruck on his own line after Laumape ran over Barrett.
As it was last week against the Highlanders, the Hurricanes finishing left a lot to be desired at times. They again created ample opportunities through the likes of hard-running centre Peter Umaga-Jensen but often squandered these with frustrating last pass options or errors in contact.
Credit must be given to the staunch Blues defence which managed to hold on and not concede a point while Narawa was in the bin.
Nothing separated these two foes as they went toe to toe throughout this match as the lead changed several times.
It seems only fitting, then, that they now sit with the same records.
If this game taught us anything it’s that outside the Crusaders, any side can trump the other on any given day.
Hurricanes 29 (Ngani Laumape, Reed Prinsep, Dane Coles, Asafo Aumua tries; Jordie Barrett 3 cons, pen)
Blues 27 (Beauden Barrett, Dalton Papalii, Akira Ioane, Kurt Eklund tries; Otere Black con, pen, Barrett con)
HT: 15-15
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis 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.
30 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.
9 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.
30 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 comments