Canes roar back to draw
WELLINGTON: A powerhouse finish from the Hurricanes was not enough to snatch victory from the British and Irish Lions in Wellington last night, forcing a 3131 draw in the tour’s final midweek match.
A scrappy game burst to life in the second spell as the Super Rugby champion fought back from a 16point halftime deficit, dominating the closing stages when it had a oneman advantage.
A yellow card shown to Irish lock Iain Henderson in the 65th minute was capitalised on as the home side ran in tries to reserve back Wes Goosen and flanker Vaea Fifita to level the scores.
Some late Hurricanes raids did not bear fruit and Lions first fiveeighth Dan Biggar’s lastgasp, long dropped goal attempt fell short, leaving the scores deadlocked.
The Lions managed one win from their four midweek matches and will finish the tour with two wins, two losses and a draw against the five New Zealand Super Rugby sides.
Coach Warren Gatland demanded physicality from forwards who wanted to force a place in his team for the second test against the All Blacks at the same Westpac Stadium venue on Saturday.
He got it from some, most notably locks Courtney Lawes and Henderson, prop Dane Cole and No 8 CJ Stander, who gave themselves a shot at ousting players from the team beaten 3015 in the first test.
Henderson was arguably the pick of them but blotted his copybook with his sinbinning for a tip tackle on Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett.
Onetest All Black Barrett put Goosen across with a long pass and converted that, along with the try to a rampaging Fifita shortly afterwards.
The home side scored four tries to three but 16 points to Biggar levelled the scoreboard.
The Hurricanes were close to full strength but for long periods missed the spark of All Black halves Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara.
Impatience and the concession of seven of the first eight penalties dished out by French referee Roman Poite left the Hurricanes bereft of early opportunities.
Biggar landed three penalties and converted tries to wingers Tommy Seymour and George North to push his team 237 clear at halftime.
Seymour backed up a longrange intercept by halfback Greig Laidlaw while North’s try came when opposite Nehe MilnerSkudder failed to catch a bomb and the ball spilled to Henderson, who delivered a slick pass.
The Hurricanes’ lone firsthalf try went to burrowing flanker Callum Gibbins.
A searing break from Julian Savea put bullocking Ngani Laumape across in the second half before a third All Black squad member in Barrett converted it and landed a penalty to reduce the margin to six points.
Momentum was halted when Hurricanes halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi was shown a yellow card for his team’s persistent offending.
Biggar slotted a penalty and the extra space was exploited soon afterwards when Seymour crossed in the corner for his second try to push the Lions 3117 clear. — AAP