Wallabies fullback Mat Rogers missed the conversion of Phil Waugh’s last-minute try to allow the Wellington Hurricanes to hang on to a 26-24 win over the New South Wales Waratahs in Super 12 rugby on Sunday.
Peter Hewat scored two and set up another of the Waratahs’ four tries, but poor goal-kicking cost the competition leaders at least a draw in the top-of-the-table match.
The Waratahs remained without a win in Wellington in the 10 years of the Super 12 but left the match with two bonus points — for scoring four tries and for losing by fewer than seven points — to remain in first place after seven rounds with 27 points.
The Hurricanes’ three-try victory took them into second place in the competition with 25 points. New South Wales, 5-2, have picked up seven bonus points this season.
Other weekend action included Otago winning their fifth in a row, a 19-18 decision on Friday over the defending champions ACT Brumbies, to move into third place. Canterbury, in fourth, saw their progress stalled after losing 35-20 to the Bulls in South Africa on Saturday.
Waugh’s late try gave Rogers the chance to tie the match, but his sharply angled conversion curled wide of the posts. He kicked only two conversions from four shots at goal while Hewat, leading points-scorer in Super 12 this season, missed his first three attempts.
The Hurricanes scored two tries within two minutes in the second half to take charge of the match.
They trailed 19-14 after 60 minutes when replacement flyhalf Lachlan MacKay scored the Waratah’s third try from one of Hewat’s trademark intercepts.
The match turned in the Hurricanes’ favour when lock Ross Kennedy and winger Lome Fa’atau scored tries from consecutive possessions, boosting the home side to a 26-19 lead.
”Again we’ve shown our grit, our character, our willingness to hang in there, our belief in ourselves and once again it worked for us,” said Hurricanes captain Tana Umaga. — Sapa-AP