SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA
Gatland: My men did not throw in the towel
Last surge from Crusaders wins them NZ title
Wellington: The Hurricanes stayed in touch with Super Rugby Aotearoa’s top table when a late try by Billy Proctor secured a vital bonus point in their 31-18 win over the Chiefs in Wellington.
The Chiefs hopes of a maiden win were dashed by Proctor’s try and they end the post COVID-19 competition in last place with eight straight losses although in five matches they picked up a bonus point from losing by seven points or less.
Chiefs coach Warren Gatland said he was “disappointed” but praised his side for the effort in what he described as weekly clashes of Test-match intensity. “Men of less character would have thrown the towel in but these guys haven’t done that. They’ve kept fighting in every game,” Gatland said.
With the maximum five points Hurricanes moved to one behind the second-placed Auckland Blues and three behind the front-running Crusaders.
The Hurricanes led 12-3 at half-time on the back of two Peter Umaga-Jensen tries and looked comfortably in control. But the Chiefs lifted their game in the second half with an early try to Sean Wainui.
Tries to Dane Coles and Kobus van Wyk saw the Hurricanes pull away to 24-13 before the Chiefs came back with a try to Mitch Karpik with a Damian McKenzie conversion and penalty narrowing the margin to two points before Proctor struck. \
Meanwhile, All Blacks and Chiefs captain Sam Cane looks to have avoided serious injury after team-mates and rivals feared for his safety when he lay prone on the Sky Stadium turf.