Hurricanes breeze past Chiefs
Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:33
Hurricane warning: Rodney Sooialo tackled by Sitiveni Sivivatu
The Hurricanes moved into the top four on the Super 14 standings with an impressive 39-19 win over the Chiefs in their Round Three match at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington, on Friday.
The Hurricanes, who could slide down the rankings as the weekend's action moves on, always had too much speed for the brave Chiefs.
If the first half of this match was champagne, the second half was - comparatively - flat beer. Not that the second half was bad. It was just that it suffered by comparison with that sparkling first half.
The first half of this match was probably what the designers of the law changes had in mind. The second half was probably what the designers of the human body had in mind. Physically the players could not keep it going, and in particular the last twenty minutes became error-prone.
In the first half there were seven line-outs and six scrums. In the second half there were ten line-outs and 13 scrums. 13 stoppages had become 23.
Both sides also lost players through injury, notably Corey Jane of the Hurricanes and Jono Gibbes of the Chiefs.
But that first half was certainly the most brilliant of the 2008 Super 14, and most of it came from the Hurricanes, putting them up there with the Crusaders and the Chiefs in elan, style, class and all things wonderful in running rugby.
It took the home side just over half an hour to get their bonus-point try and they did it in style with one of the great tries of the year.
A lot of what the Hurricanes achieved was thanks to their ability to turn ball over and then give those magnificent backs surprise ball to run with before the Chiefs defence could rush at them. Even that bonus-point try came from a situation after a scrum when it seemed that they were being beaten for the ball.
That meant that the Chiefs lost possession at crucial times. Twice Tom Willis was guilty, once when he knocked on near his own line and once when he knocked on near the Hurricanes' line.
The Hurricanes looked like scoring early on when Jane split the defence wide open in midfield. He chipped left into the Chiefs in-goal where Viliame Waqaseduadua was penalised for knocking the ball dead. The Chiefs survived but they did not survive Jane's next bit of enterprise.
He claimed and was given a mark, which meant he was down in his 22, towards the touch-line on his left. He tapped and ran and again opened things up. The Hurricanes went right and Jerry Collins forced his way through a gap and falling got a perfect pass inside to Ma'a Nonu who raced downfield, swept past Sitiveni Sivivatu who was at fullback and scored the posts. 7-0 after 11 minutes.
That was the Hurricanes - and Nonu - at their best. Not long afterwards Nonu was at his worst. Conrad Smith put him through a gap but Nonu then passed forwards and into touch.
The Chiefs had their moment, too, and it involved three great runners. Waqaseduadua glided past defender after defender down the right and set Sivivatu striding for the corner on his left. Somehow his nerve failed and he turned the ball in to Mils Muliaina. He was tackled but the Chiefs got the ball and went wide to their right where, at a tackle/ruck, Liam Messam managed to force his way over. Donald, who had missed two penalty attempts, hit the upright with this conversion. 7-5 after 20 minutes.
There was a near-comic moment when socks-down prop John Schwalger had the ball - as he often did. Suddenly he stopped. All those around him stopped as well as they looked towards the referee. All he said was: "Play on." An play burst into life again with the Hurricanes attacking. Gopperth sped past Donald to score near the posts. He converted. 14-5 after 22 minutes.
Gopperth made the next try as well. He sliced through going right, straightened and chipped left. Alby Mathewson, on for bleeding Piri Weepu, showed great control in toeing the ball over the line and falling on the ball with David Bason riding on his back. 19-5 after 26 minutes.
Muliaina had a strong break but then came the try which Paku scored.
It started at a scrum to the Hurricanes which the Chiefs disrupted, leaving Rodney So'oialo with a battle to keep the ball. He did and soon afterwards Collins raced through a gap going right. He played left to Mathewson who gave to Nonu who gave to Paku who scored. 26-5 after 32 minutes and a bonus point.
The Hurricanes were running freely over acres of Westpac Stadium. But the resilient Chiefs came back with a startling try.
The Hurricanes lost the ball and it came to Donald on his own 10-metre line. He had an instant vision of delight and sped down the midfield racing the 60 metres past only two defenders, outrunning So'oialo to score at the posts. That made the score 26-12 at half-time. The Chefs, so out played, were still in touch.
The Hurricanes were more penalised in the match than the Chiefs - nine times to twice. The Chiefs made a penalty into a five-metre line-out and eventually they had an attacking scrum. Sione Lauaki charged off the scrum and was close but Tanerau Latimer was on hand to pick up and plunge over for a try. Donald converted,. 26-19 after 52 minutes. The Chiefs had the prospect of a bonus point or even winning the match but that was as good as it got.
The Hurricanes did some piecemeal attacking till suddenly So'oialo ran with a speed onto the ball and burst over three defenders to score a crucial try. 31-19 after 63 minutes.
The Hurricanes stayed attacking and after a five-metre scrum Chris Masoe with two men outside him decided to head for the line and was just strong enough to score. 36-19 and then Tane Tu'ipulotu ended proceedings with a soaring dropped goal.
Man of the Match: The captain - the man who could play it tight and play it loose, attack and defend - Rodney So'oialo.
Moment of the Match: There are three candidates, all tries - Ma'a Nonu's. Shannon Paku's and Rodney So'oialo's- and we choose Nonu's try for its origin and execution. It stated the way the match was going to go.
Villain of the Match: Nobody. There were not even fireworks this week!
The scorers:
The Hurricanes:
Tries: Nonu, Gopperth, Mathewson, Paku, So'oialo, Masoe
Cons: Gopperth 3
Pens: Tu'ipulotu
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Messam, Donald, Latimer
Cons: Donald 2
Teams:
Hurricanes: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Ma'a Nonu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Tane Tu'ipulotu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So'oialo (captain), 7 Chris Masoe, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2
Andrew Hore, 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Hikawera Elliott, 17 Tim Fairbrother, 18 Jeremy Thrush, 19 Scott Waldrom, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 William Ripia, 22 Shannon Paku.
Chiefs: 15 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Mils Muliaina, 12 Dwayne Sweeney, 11 Viliame Waqaseduadua, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 David Bason, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Jono Gibbes (captain), 3 Ben Castle, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Simms Davison.
Replacements: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 Ben May, 18 Toby Lynn, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Matt France, 21 Callum Bruce, 22 Sosene Anesi.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: Chris Rooney (New Zealand)
Assessor: Alan Riley (New Zealand)
