Hurricanes fly high as Crusaders flop again
JORDIE Barrett bagged two tries as the Hurricanes thumped the Melbourne Rebels 54-28 to maintain their 100 per cent record at the top of the table.
The Hurricanes outscored the Rebels eight tries to four with winger Salesi Rayasi scoring two of the Hurricanes’ five first-half tries, the pick of which was Barrett’s first on his return from suspension after his red card against the Reds at the start of March.
Hurricanes captain Brad Shields won the ball at the back of the lineout and popped a pass inside to No.9 TJ Perenara who put Barrett over.
“It was good to be back. We had a massive challenge, the Rebels are a good side and it was a tough night,” Barrett said. “It’s a great start, but it’s about being consistent every week,” he added after the Hurricanes remained the only unbeaten side left in the competition.
They made 14 changes from the side which won away at defending champions the Crusaders last weekend but made an explosive start.
Barrett scored his second when he finished off a superb flowing attack as the Hurricanes chalked up 50 points. Fly-half Aidan Morgan landed all eight conversions before the Rebels touched down their fourth try late on through hooker Jordan Uelese.
The Blues beat the Crusaders for the first time in 10 years with a 26-6 victory consigning the seven-in-arow champions to a stunning fifth defeat on the trot to the season.
In just their second win over the Crusaders since 2021, skipper Patrick Tuipulotu was impressive in his 100th game. All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi scored a key second-half try after AJ Lam’s touchdown, while the loose trio of Dalton Papali’i, Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu were dominant.
It was the heaviest loss of the season for the Crusaders, whose new coach Rob Penney has struggled to find the winning formula of his predecessor Scott Robertson, who has departed to take charge of the All Blacks.
Crusaders’ injury woes continued with All Black centre and stand-in captain David Havili forced off with a calf injury.
“We just couldn’t build any pressure and a settled team like the Blues make you pay for it. They did that in the second half,” Havili said. “The effort’s there, it’s just those big moments that we can’t execute and it’s costing us.”
The Blues won seven of the Crusaders’ 13 lineout throws and fly-half Stephen Perofeta – who kicked 16 points – said their set-piece advantage proved critical.
“We just wanted to make it real simple. The Crusaders have dominated the physical battle, that set-piece battle, every year that they’ve been successful,” Perofeta said.
Fijian Drua registered their first ever win over the Waratahs with a 3936 golden point win at a packed out Lautoka Churchill Park. Waratahs hooker Mahe Vailanu scored the opening points of the afternoon with a try in the fourth minute, and while the visitors controlled the contest at that stage, it was practically all the Drua from beyond the 10th minute until half-time.
Iosefo Masi scored a brilliant first-half hattrick as the Drua ran up a big lead, but the visitors wrestled their way back into the fight with a valiant performance after the break.
The fixture ended up going to extra-time, and while both teams had a chance to win the golden point thriller, it was the Drua who emerged courtethe sy of Kemu Valetini’s late drop goal.
The Brumbies remain Australia’s strongest side and were too hot to handle for Moana Pasifika, running in nine tries to three in a 60-21 triumph for their fourth win from five.
Centre Hudson Creighton and full-back Tom Wright both scored twice, with the other tries were split between Rob Valetini, Tamati Tua, Charlie Cale, Corey Toole and Lachlan Lonergan, while Wallabies 10 Noah Lolesio added 13 points with the boot.
The Chiefs held on for a 28-21 win to extend the Highlanders’ losing streak against Kiwi teams to 18 matches as centre Tanielu Tele’a was red carded for a foolish headon-head contact at a ruck.
Highlanders trailed 21-0 at half time due to tries by Daniel Rona, Bradley Slater and Rameka Poihipi but scored three second half tries through Timoci Tavatavanawai, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Nikora Broughton to bring the game within one try but failed to get over line after the full-time siren sounded.
Western Force secured their first victory of the season with a 40-31 triumph over the high-flying Queensland Reds. The Force went into the break leading 28-5 as halfbacks Nic White and Ben Donaldson worked their magic. Tate McDermott scored two tries for Reds, but the Force kept responding as centre-turned-winger Bayley Kuenzle got his own pair of tries as the Force leapt off the bottom of the table.