Canes get job done over Chiefs

The Hurricanes would’ve enjoyed that.

Clashes between them and the Chiefs are always willing. This was no exception. But it was the Hurricanes who emerged victorious, 25-13 in Wellington last night, to go top in the New Zealand Super Rugby conference.

Grit’s not the first thing you associate with Hurricanes rugby. But they produced plenty here, in what was an absorbing – if stopstart – affair.

It really wasn’t the most fluent game you ever saw. The actual bursts of play were fine; it’s just that they were so sporadic.

Errors were part of that, along with a lengthy first-half delay to get Chiefs prop Aidan Ross treated for a serious-looking ankle injury.

The Chiefs were strong in the set pieces and committed in defence. What X-factor there was in the opening 40 minutes tended to come from Hurricanes wing Ben Lam. He scored, what’s becoming, a trademark long-range try, galloping in from 40 metres to score the game’s first points. Any number of Chiefs had a shot at him but either weren’t quick enough or strong enough to get Lam on the deck.

Jordie Barrett did the goalkicking for the Hurricanes, as they went to halftime 10-6 up. It might’ve been 17-3, after he ran 80 metres to score behind the Chiefs’ posts.

Only prop Jeff To’omaga-Allen was ruled offside in the lead-up.

Damian McKenzie, who’d passed a pre-match fitness test, kicked his second penalty and 10-6 it was.

The Chiefs had shown plenty of substance, with the Hurricanes the more brilliant of the two. Par for the course, in other words.

The absence of lock Sam Lousi hadn’t helped the Hurricanes. He cried off with a shoulder injury and their scrum and lineout suffered as a result. Abrasive flanker Sam Henwood had been fit enough to started the game, but succumbed to concussion in just the third minute.

The Hurricanes aren’t noted for their grunt, so those absences were going to be difficult to absorb.

But they made the perfect start to the second spell, when Beauden Barrett scored from a turnover forced by Lam.

Chiefs wing Sean Wainui lost the ball in a Lam tackle, Beauden Barrett picked up, grubbered when he saw Brodie Retallick loom in cover defence, then won the race to the bouncing ball.

Jordie Barrett converted from touch and it was 17-6. Albeit not for long.

Ngani Laumape was over next for the Hurricanes, following a brilliant sequence of attack that culminated in the second five eighth going over from a Beauden Barrett crosskick. This time the sideline conversion hit the post.

The Hurricanes had opportunities to extend things and couldn’t. Instead it was Chiefs flanker Lachlan Boshier who scored next, after a period of sustained pressure in the Hurricanes’ 22.

McKenzie converted from wide out and we had a 22-13 ball game, with 20 minutes to play.

You have to commend both teams for what they put into the last quarter. Despite an absence of points, it was often thrilling stuff, from which the Hurricanes were ultimately able to walk away winners.