The Wellington Hurricanes edged Auckland by a point in a thrilling local derby on Saturday to end the Blues’ unbeaten start to rugby union’s Super 14.
The Hurricanes held on to a 23-22 lead for the last 19 minutes of a match in which the lead changed hands four times to leave the teams with matching 2-1 records through the competition’s first three rounds.
That result left South Africa’s Sharks to defend the only remaining unbeaten record in the tournament against the Otago Highlanders later on Saturday.
The Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies were due to take matching 1-1 records into the first Australian derby of the season at Brisbane. South Africa’s Cheetahs and New South Wales Waratahs, the Lions and the Canterbury Crusaders were also 1-1 ahead of Saturday matches.
The Blues outscored the Hurricanes by three tries to two but Hurricanes flyhalf Jimmy Gopperth kicked 13 points, including a 61st-minute penalty which clinched his side’s one-point win.
Blues flyhalf Isa Nacewa managed only two conversions and a penalty — three goals from five attempts — as goalkicking split the teams.
The match was one of frenetic action and the lead passed between the teams four times in the second half after they had been locked 10-10 at halftime.
”I think it was two similar sides who are able to create something from nothing and that’s what you saw in the tries tonight,” said Hurricanes captain Tana Umaga.
Fullback Cory Jane scored the Hurricanes’ only first-half try, matched by a try to Blues and All Blacks winger Doug Howlett, his 55th in Super rugby.
Winger Anthony Tuitavake and lock Greg Rawlinson scored second half tries for the Blues but a try to flanker Serge Lilo and Gopperth’s goalkicking — he passed 250 Super 12 or 14 points ‒ put the home team in front.
”We played into their hands with their helter-skelter rugby and we came up against the best team in the competition to play that sort of game,” Blues captain Troy Flavell said.
On Friday, the Perth-based Western Force posted their second straight win in South Africa, 30-27 over Pretoria’s Bulls to firm their season’s record to two wins and a loss.
Wallabies winger Cameron Shepherd scored two tries for the Force who posted only one win in their inaugural season last year and have already outstripped that record.
Shepherd took 25 points from the match, converting the Force’s three tries and kicking three penalties. He contributed 17 points to last week’s 22-3 win over the Stormers.
The Stormers rebounded from that loss with a 21-15 victory Friday over the Waikato Chiefs, sealing their first win of the season and the Chiefs’ third loss with an intercept try. – Sapa-AP