Late Foley miss hands Hurricanes narrow 20-19 ‘win’ over Waratahs
Crusaders get two penalty tries in victory against Blues
SYDNEY, Feb 16, (RTRS): New South Waratahs flyhalf Bernard Foley had a bittersweet start to the new Super Rugby season when he missed a simple late penalty chance to see his side slip to a 20-19 loss to the Wellington Hurricanes at the Brookvale Oval on Saturday.
Foley had earlier become the Waratahs’ record points-scorer in Super Rugby, but could not win the game for his team after they were awarded a scrum penalty two minutes from time.
He kicked 14 points to go with a try for wing Curtis Rona, but put his crucial late penalty just wide of the posts from almost in front, much to the disappointment of the 17,111 crowd.
Jordie Barrett kicked 10 points for the Hurricanes to go with tries for flank Ardie Savea and debutant loose-forward Du’Plessis Kirifi. The home side took the lead with an early penalty, Foley’s successful kick seeing him surpass the Waratahs’ Super Rugby points record of 959 held by Matt Burke.
After Barrett levelled the scores, Foley added two more penalties to extend the home side’s advantage to six points, before the Hurricanes grabbed the lead five minutes before halftime.
The visitors put the ball through numerous phases for the first time in the contest as they battered the Waratahs tryline, with Savea eventually barging his way over under the posts.
In Auckland, Winger Manasa Mataele scored two tries, while referee Nick Briant awarded two penalty tries as the Canterbury Crusaders began their quest for a 10th Super Rugby title with a 24-22 win over the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.
The Blues could have snatched a late victory but replacement flyhalf Harry Plummer missed a long-range penalty with less than three minutes remaining, shortly after he had also missed a much easier conversion.
Briant awarded a penalty try in each half as the Crusaders’ All Blacks forwards asserted their dominance over the Blues, who were unexpectedly competitive for much of the match but buckled at crucial moments.
Blues flanker Tom Robinson conceded the first penalty try when he collapsed a driving lineout maul, which also earned him a yellow card, while the Crusaders pack earned the second when they disintegrated the Auckland scrum numerous times.