Hurricanes survive boisterous Blues
The match lasted 80 minutes or so, and every player in the two sides played for every one of those 80 minutes or so. And even at the end of the match the drama and the energy seemed to be mounting. It was an excellent match. The Blues, who won the first half, and were still trying for victory at the end of the second half, deserved more than no log points for the match.
The match started with great intensity as the Blues ran and the Hurricanes rushed up on defence. But as the half wore on, the Hurricanes' defence became less in tense and efficient. But it picked up again in the second half which they won 20-3, keeping the enthusiastic Blues try-less.
The Hurricanes kicked off and the Blues, deep in their own half, ran but Piers Francis was penalised for a high tackle and Beauden Barrett goaled. 3-0 to the Hurricanes after 1 minutes.
The Blues ran at the Hurricanes again with Steven Luatua most prominent. Reggie Goodes was penalised at a tackle and Francis goaled. 3-all after 7 minutes.
The Hurricanes joined the Blues in running the ball but the Blues were doing it better. Ihaia West broke on the right and crosskicked but Corey Jane saved.
Then just inside his own half, Male Sa'u broke through two would-be tacklers and gave inside to Kara Pryor who raced some 30 metres to score. Francis converted and after 11 minutes, the Blues were ahead 10-3.
At a breakdown, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen was in distress holding his right wrist and trying to use his feet to win the ball. Soon he left the field and was taken to hospital where it was found that he had broken his right forearm.
The Hurricanes came back on level terms when Toomaga-Allen's replacement, Chris Eves broke strongly and laid the ball back to James Marshall who was in the scrumhalf position. Marshall went on an arc and soon seemed clean though but stumbled and fell in front of the posts. The Hurricanes bashed and Goodes forced his way over for a try. 10-10 after 16 minutes.
West kicked off to the left where Luatua caught the ball on the run. Luatua gave to Pryor who headed for the corner. Pryor was tackled but Luatua picked up and tried to force is way over but TJ Perenara forced him out on the cornerflag.
But the Hurricanes were penalised and the Blues kicked out for a five-metre line-out. They mauled, theey broke away and Jerome Kaino strode over for the try. 17-10 after 18 minutes.
West had the ball but it went back from his grasp as Eves grabbed him. Dane Coles footed it ahead and raced after the ball, diving on it just before the dead-ball line. The referee referred the matter to the TMO who decided that West had tried to palm the ball backwards and that Eves had not knocked it on and that Coles had correctly grounded the ball. Barrett converted 17-all after 21 minutes.
There was an innocuous looking tackle near the Hurricanes' 10-metre line when suddenly Kaino burst away. He raced down the midfield as Barrett covered. Kaino scored near the posts in Barrett's vain tackle. 24-17 after 23 minutes.
It seemed that scoring would never cease and that the match was set for record-breaking scoring, but the game became more circumspect and there was no scoring for the next 19 minutes.
Not that there were no close calls.
First Matt Proctor burst down the right and seemed about to score when Melani Nanai felled him. Then from a scrum Marshall was close at the right corner. The Hurricanes opted for a five-metre scrum for a penalty against Kaino. But the ball shot out the back. The Hurricanes bashed but the Blues quickly moved forward and Ardie Savea was penalised for holding on right under the posts.
First Nanai and then West broke, but Barrett saved when West chipped. And then, just before the break, the Hurricanes attacked from deep with Barrett and Coles prominent.
Half-time came and the Blues led 24-17.
The Blues attacked first in the half, Brad Shields was penalised and Francis made it 27-17 after 42 minutes. The Blues did not score again in the match though they had chances.
Barrett then kicked two penalty goals when first Kaino and then Francis infringed at tackles. That made it 27-23 to the Blues after 51 minutes.
The Hurricanes were on the attack and from a line-out on their left a short inside pass to lock Vaea Fifita saw the big man striding through for a try under the posts. Now, after 55 minutes, the Hurricanes led 30-27.
A luta continua. The battle continued. fierce but honourable.
The Blues were on the attack and, on advantage, West kicked a high diagonal to the right where Matt Duffie brilliantly leapt up and caught the ball. He played it back to Blake Gibson on his inside. Gibson tried to play the ball back inside as Barrett tackled him but he was in touch. That took them back to the penalty which the Blues decided to kick at goal, but Francis's kick flew wide right.
The Blues threw into a line-out but Fifita won the ball. The Hurricanes went wide right and then back wide left to Fifita who stepped Matt McGahan and galloped over to score in West's tackle. 37-27 with nine minutes to play.
The Blues turned a penalty in front of the posts into a six-metre line-out but they made a mess of a throw to the front. Then Duffie had an overlap on the other side of the field but Ardie Savea got hold of him. The Blues had a line-out five metres from the line and bashed and bashed till they were under the posts but Victor Vito won a turnover and Barrett cleared.
The Blues tapped a penalty and went through eight phases before conceding a turnover.
Time was up but both teams kept on playing, apparently wishing the excellent match not to end.
Man of the Match: Hard to decide. Both flyhalves, Beauden Barrett and Ihaia West had excellent matches, as did the fullbacks, James Marshall and Melani Nanai. Till he was subbed after 50 minutes Steven Luatua was a brave warrior, Ardie Savea was often in energetic action, such a strong young man. Jerome Kaino and Vaea Fifita each scored two tries. There are lots of candidates but ours is that remarkable hooker, Dane Coles, an excellent hooker and much more besides.
Scorers:
For Hurricanes:
Tries: Goodes, Coles, Fifita 2
Cons: Barrett 4
Pens: Barrett 3
For Blues:
Tries: Pryor, Kaino 2
Cons: Francis 3
Pens: Francis 2
Teams:
Hurricanes: 15 James Marshall, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Vince Aso, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Michael Fatialofa, 4 Vaea Fifita, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles (captain), Reggie Goodes.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Loni Uhila, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Tony Lambourn, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Willis Halaholo, 23 Jason Woodward.
Blues: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Matt Duffie, 13 Male S'au, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Kara Pryor, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Sam Prattley.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Namatahi Waa, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti/Hoani Matenga, 20 Blake Gibson, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Matt McGahan, 23 Lolagi Visinia.
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
TMO: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)
