Top weekend for NZ teams
Beauden Barrett and headaches.
Just listing those words in the same sentence could make hyper-sensitive All Blacks blubber into their porridge, but Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd is having none of that.
Boyd confirmed headaches were the reason All Blacks first five-eighth Barrett, who is expected to play a pivotal role in the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions, was withdrawn from the Super Rugby game against the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday morning (NZT).
Whether that is due to the dreaded C-word - concussion - seems to be anyone’s guess. Boyd wasn’t going to fan the flames of hysteria.
Humidity, air conditioning or altitude. They could have contributed to Barrett’s headaches, Boyd explained.
Still, it is still big news, given the first test against the Lions is less than a month away.
So when the Hurricanes were grinding out a 34-20 bonus point win at Loftus Versfeld it was left to Barrett to cart the water bottles around for the boys. And guess what? There were more concussions.
All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea retired following a head clash with team-mate Wes Goosen, and lock Mark Abbott also took a smack to the melon.
The win may have come at a cost, but the Hurricanes badly needed it to retain their hopes of somehow finishing at the top of the New Zealand conference and could also welcome back wing Nehe Milner-Skudder, who has been sidelined for months with bone fractures in his foot, against the Force.
The Crusaders, with a number of players not featuring because they were being rested or had injuries, coasted to a 41-19 over the Rebels to record their 13th consecutive win at AAMI Park.
The body count for coach Scott Robertson was relatively low. Flanker Pete Samu had to be taken to hospital for a scan on an injured ankle, but All Blacks Matt Todd and Ryan Crotty, if they have recovered from their concussions as well as Scott Barrett (knee and ankle), may be fit to play the Highlanders next weekend.
All Black Israel Dagg, making his comeback from knee surgery, didn’t push the boat out before being replaced, as planned, in the 60th minute.
If there is a silent assassin in this tournament, it could live in the Highlanders’ colours. While they have no chance of topping the NZ conference, their 44-28 win over the Waratahs in Dunedin was impressive - albeit being aided by a controversial yellow carding of Tahs lock Dean Mumm in the second spell - and had they not conceded a late try they would have secured a precious bonus point.
The Blues’ 16-all draw with the Chiefs in the rain at Eden Park killed off the Auckland-based team’s hopes of making the playoffs, and was an unsatisfactory way to farewell Steven Luatua and Charlie Faumuina in the final outing for their team on Eden Park.
The confusing Super Rugby competition is rightly derided for a number of reasons, but it cannot be accused of being predictable. The Force upset the Reds 40-26 in Brisbane, the Queenslanders tumbling to their ninth defeat of the year.
Less surprising was the way the Cheetahs hammered the travel-weary Sunwolves 47-7 in Tokyo. The Sharks accounted for the Stormers in Durban, winning that war of attrition 22-10.
If you had to pick a winner of the Aussie conference, go with the Brumbies; their 39-15 victory over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires extended their lead over the Waratahs by nine points.
On Monday morning (NZT) the Lions host the Kings in Johannesburg. Top meets bottom of the Africa 2 pool. Only the lonely and night owls have set their timepieces for that one, surely. In Auckland: (Rieko Ioane try; Piers Francis con, 3 pen)
(Johnny Fa’auli, Damian McKenzie tries; Aaron Cruden pen, McKenzie pen). HT: 13-8.
In Brisbane: (Marcel Brache, Ross Haylett-Petty, Tatafu Polota-Nau tries, 2 penalty tries; Peter Grant 3 con, 4 pen)
(Stephen Moore 2, Duncan Paia’aua, Lukhan Tui tries; Quade Cooper 3 con). HT: 13-5.
In Tokyo: (Uzair Cassiem 2, Niell Jordaan, Niel Marais, Tian Meyer, Sergeal Petersen, Torsten van Jaarsveld tries; Marais 5 con, Francois Uys con) (Sam Wykes try; Yu Tamura con). HT: 14-0.
In Dunedin: (Richard Buckman, Liam Coltman, Tevita Li, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Lima Sopoaga, Rob Thompson tries; Sopoaga 3 con, Marty Banks con, 2 pen) (Jake Gordon 2, Israel Folau, Taqele Naiyaravoro tries; Bernard Foley 4 con). HT: 13-14.
In Melbourne: (Jed Brown 2, Mitchell Drummond, David Havili, Manasa Mataele, Seta Tamanivalu tries; Richie Mo’unga 4 con, pen) (Marika Koroibete 2, Toby Smith tries; Reece Hodge con, Ben Volavola con). HT: 31-7.
In Pretoria: (Mark Abbott, Leni Apisai, Jordie Barrett, Wes Goosen, Ngani Laumape tries; Otere Black 2 con, pen, Barrett con) (Nic de Jager, Duncan Matthews tries; Tony Jantjies con, Tian Schoeman con, 2 pen). HT: 24-13.
In Durban: (Johan Deysel, Stephan Lewies, S’busiso Nkosi tries; Garth April 2 con, pen) (SP Marais try; Marais con, pen). HT: 15-0.
In Buenos Aires: (Tom Banks 2, Andrew Muirhead 2, Sam Carter, Henry Speight tries; Wharenui Hawera 3 con, pen)
(Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti tries; Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias con, Nicolas Sanchez pen). HT: 20-10.
In Johannesburg:
Friday:
Saturday:
Canberra, 9.45pm;
July 1:
July 2: in Johannesburg.
in Christchurch, 2.35pm; in Hamilton, 5.05pm; in
in Perth, 11.55pm.