Jordie steals the show in the capital
JORDIE Barrett can play a bit.
Amid what was a great team performance from the Hurricanes in their big win over the Highlanders at Westpac Stadium last night, the younger brother of Beauden Barrett produced a performance far beyond what would be expected from a 20-year-old in his fifth Super Rugby game.
The Hurricanes hardly missed the injured Nehe Milner-Skudder at fullback, with Barrett stepping in at fullback
It was a middling sort of first half. The Hurricanes saw a lot of the ball early on and were rewarded with a lineout maul try to Ardie Savea.
The Highlanders defended well enough and looked sharp when they eventually got their hands on the pill.
Malakai Fekitoa looked for all money like he would score midway through the half, only to be forced into touch by desperate covering defence from Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea.
Missing the try was bad enough for Highlanders fans, but it only got worse when Fekitoa had to go off for a concussion test. He failed it and temporarily joins fellow All Blacks Lima Sopoaga, Liam Squire and Waisake Naholo, as well as 12 other players, on the injury list.
Many in attendance might have missed the substitution and only found out about it when his replacement, Matt Faddes, scored a 31st minute try from a fivemetre try in front of the Hurricanes’ posts, with the hosts guilty of a misread on defence.
The Hurricanes hit right back with a great bit of play from Jordie Barrett, chipping a crosskick to the bulldozing Ngani Laumape down the right wing to smash his way through a Highlanders defender to score in the corner. Jordie Barrett produced another stunning piece of work 90 seconds into the second half, firing a ridiculous behindthe-back flick pass while fending off Faddes down the right touchline which found Matt Proctor on his way to the tryline.
Perenara found himself in the sin bin moments later for a high shot on Highlanders first-five Fletcher Smith.
Undeterred by being a man down, the Hurricanes called on the Laumape train to again extend their lead. He showed Banks a clean pair of heals from first receiver at a scrum, before running straight over the top of All Blacks fullback Ben Smith close to the line.
When Perenara returned, the Hurricanes completely dominated the final quarter and the scoreline blew out.
Bothma caught Sunwolves captain Ed Quirk with a forearm to the head straight from the second-half kickoff and was given a red card, leaving the Bulls up against it.
They toughed it out, scoring two tries through centre Jan Serfontein – his second of the game – and lock Jason Jenkins.
Sunwolves replacement Liaki Moli had a try disallowed in the last seconds, after it was initially awarded, and the conversion was taken and missed.
The Bulls are sixth of the eightteams in South African group standings. - AP