Hurricanes turn on the style
The Hurricanes remain a very good rugby team.
That might not have seemed apparent when their undermanned side lost 38-22 to the Crusaders last weekend, but last night they completely outplayed the Brumbies in a 43-13 win in front of soldout crowd of about 14,000 in Palmerston North.
This was a Brumbies side buoyed by a 54-17 thrashing of the Chiefs last weekend, but they were no match for their hosts, who ran in six tries to two for a bonus-point win.
Ngani Laumape – a product of Palmerston North Boys’ High School – was at his rampaging best, bagging a hat-trick of tries on home turf.
Skipper Dane Coles reminded everyone of his class with an allaction display, scoring two first-half tries.
They weren’t the only Hurricanes to impress in what was an improvement in almost every area on the loss to the Crusaders.
Young flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi overcame an early error to not look out of place in a loose forward trio containing experienced team-mates Ardie Savea and Vaea Fifita.
Super Rugby debutant Chase Tiatia was impressive from the outset, showing a deft left boot with his first touch to pin the Brumbies inside their 22. His form will mean it’s not a foregone conclusion that Jordie Barrett will walk back into the No 15 jersey next weekend.
That kick was part of a concerted effort from the Hurricanes in the first half to kick in behind the Brumbies to the corners to control field position, if not possession given the strength of the Brumbies’ lineout.
After dominating territory in the opening exchanges, the Hurricanes got the first try of the match in the 12th minute after a Rory Arnold error.
The Brumbies lock tipped a pass forward into Coles’ hands just outside the Brumbies’ 22, with the hooker showing acceleration an outside back would be proud of to scoot through the Brumbies defence to score. It was a popular try for man ravaged by injuries for the past two seasons.
The Hurricanes got their second try just two minutes later when Tiatia beat one man down the right wing before slipping a pass to Vince Aso. He drew the last defender before slipping a great no-look backflip pass to Laumape to dart in.
But the Hurricanes’ discipline – as it has across the opening three rounds – was letting them down as they found themselves on the wrong side of a 7-2 first-half penalty count.
One such penalty allowed the Brumbies to kick to the corner in the 20th minute and score their first try from a rolling maul from a 5m lineout.
After a bit of verbal jousting with referee Nick Briant over the penalty count – another staple of Coles’ game – the Hurricanes skipper bagged his second five-pointer four minutes before halftime.
Coles ran from the 40m line to the Brumbies’ 22 before passing to Laumape. He was tackled, with Coles making a thundering ruck clearout which took him a couple of metres past the ruck. TJ Perenara dummied and stepped through the Brumbies defence before flicking a pass to Coles, who produced a diving, one-handed finish, which, again, an outside back would have been happy with.
Referee Briant went off injured at halftime, replaced by Argentinian assistant referee Federico Anselmi, which immediately paid dividends for the home side in the form of a penalty which Beauden Barrett slotted to push the lead to 14.
Barrett was his normal self in his 61 minutes on return, but such was the form of the supporting cast that his performance barely rated a mention.
The Hurricanes put the game away with another classy try 14 minutes into the second half.
Perenara was again on hand with a no-look flick-pass to Laumape on the right wing, which the big back took in with one-hand before tip-toeing down the sideline and somehow making himself an immovable object when both Matt Lucas and Tom Banks tried to tackle him into touch.
Laumape completed his hometown hat-trick 20 minutes from time when midfield partner Matt Proctor caught an intercept and passed to him to run in 40m almost untouched.
The Brumbies grabbed a consolation try to Tom Wright t, before Hurricanes lock James Blackwell scored an intercept try after the final hooter. Hurricanes 43 (Ngani Laumape 3, Dane Coles 2, James Blackwell tries; Beauden Barrett 4 con pen, Jackson Garden-Bachop con) Brumbies 13 (Folau Fainga’a, Tom Wright tries; Christian Lealiifano pen). HT: 19-8.