Super Rugby Aotearoa: Hurricanes edge Highlanders in physically bruising battle in Wellington
The chase to catch the Crusaders and Blues at the summit of the Super Rugby Aotearoa table took an interesting turn on Sunday as the Hurricanes toppled the Highlanders to close the gap on the leading pack.
The hard-fought 17-11 victory represents a considerable turnaround in fortunes for the Wellingtonians, who stuttered to an 0-2 start to the domestic league following defeats to the Blues and Crusaders.
Jordie Barrett’s return at fullback spurred them on to victory against the Chiefs last week, and the young All Blacks utility was again involved in his side’s fortunes as they overtook the Highlanders in third place on the standings.
After halfback TJ Perenara stood up his opposite and All Blacks teammate Aaron Smith with a cheeky show-and-go from close range to score the match’s first try near the half hour mark, Barrett splintered the Highlanders’ defence with a well-angled run off a set move.
The 23-year-old then flun a looping ball out wide to in-form South African wing Kobus van Wyk, who fought off a couple of defenders to dot down in the corner and hand the Hurricanes a 12-0 lead going into the sheds.
That lead could have been more extensive were it not for the extremely blustery conditions at Sky Stadium, which mitigated Barrett’s goal kicking prowess that was on show in Hamilton last week.
Highlanders first-five Mitch Hunt also fell victim to the very strong breeze off the tee, but it was the running game of the playmaker that really caught the eye.
Had it not been for the questionable obstruction call ruled on Ash Dixon inside the first five minutes of the contest, Hunt would have set up Smith for a scintillating try under the posts as he sliced the opposition apart from well inside his own half.
The southerners would rightfully have been rueing referee Brendon Pickerill’s decision to deny the co-captain’s impressive long range effort, but the cards fell in the visitors’ favour shortly afterwards after a Hurricanes try was cancelled out in similar circumstances.
A block on Shannon Frizell by Devan Flanders opened up a plethora of space for Ngani Laumape to exploit and score from in the sixth minute, but Pickerill overturned his initial decision after a raft of replays highlighted the loose forward’s indiscretion.
It was the ball-carrying dominance of the home side’s forward pack that proved to be vital in their victory, though, as was evidenced in Flanders’ try in the opening few minutes of the second half.
That showing of patience and physicality on attack deep in Highlanders’ territory brought the Hurricanes out to a 17-0 lead, but the away side slowly started to work their way back into the battle.
It only took four minutes for the spotlight to be cast on a refereeing decision from the Hurricanes' clash with the Highlanders in Wellington.https://t.co/aJPJhXAEVK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 12, 2020
A penalty by Hunt was soon followed by a well-taken try off a lineout to Smith, who worked well with Dixon to take advantage of a short-side overlap close to the Hurricanes’ tryline.
It was the decision by Asafo Aumua to join the maul to combat the Highlanders’ powerful efforts up front that allowed that try to be scored, but the Hurricanes hooker was arguably the standout player in the fixture.
Usually a back-up to Dane Coles in the franchise’s pecking order, the two-match All Black took his rare starting opportunity superbly with his grunt on both sides of the ball.
Josh Dickson’s absence from the Highlanders’ forward pack didn’t help the Highlanders’ efforts to nullify the threat posed by Aumua, but the exploits of Smith and Hunt will have pleased nonetheless.
Hunt’s newfound form will be of particular intrigue come next week when the franchise welcomes back All Blacks pivot Josh Ioane from injury, creating a selection dilemma for the No. 10 jersey.
Perhaps a shift to fullback for Hunt in the place of Michael Collins could be the solution to accommodate both him and Ioane, but it’s a much-welcomed selection headache for head coach Aaron Mauger.
His side have now slid to fourth spot on the overall standings with a 1-3 record in the opening half of the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, and will look to re-build when they take on the Chiefs in Hamilton next week.
As for the Hurricanes, their attention will need to shift quickly to the next task at hand: the much-daunted trip to Christchurch to take on the unbeaten Crusaders.
Hurricanes 17 (Tries to TJ Perenara, Kobus van Wyk and Devan Flanders; conversion to Jordie Barrett)
Highlanders 11 (Try to Aaron Smith; 2 penalties to Mitch Hunt)
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments