Lam shines as Hurricanes overpower the Highlanders
Familiarity didn’t breed contempt, but it certainly gave us two teams well aware of what was coming next.
The Hurricanes and Highlanders had talked about how similar their games were. And, for a long time at Westpac Stadium last night, it seemed those similarities might leave us with a stalemate.
But the Hurricanes’ superior skill and toughness eventually told and they were able to manufacture a comfortable 29-12 win over the previously-unbeaten Highlanders.
It hadn’t been a game for the ages but the victors woudn’t have had any complaints in halfback TJ Perenara’s 100th game.
For two teams that like to play expansive stuff, the Hurricanes and Highlanders had conspired to produce a pretty dour opening half.
There was kicks and errors aplenty and what ball-running there was, tended to be from close quarters and directly into contact. You could see that both teams were eager to operate at a high tempo; just not dominant enough to make that a reality.
Things had begun very promisingly. A frenetic opening five minutes was capped when Hurricanes first five-eighth Beauden Barrett latched onto a kick from Highlander Rob Thompson and dashed 60 metres to score under the bar.
It wasn’t the prelude to a pointsscoring onslaught, though. Wing Waisake Naholo finally crossed in the 20th minute, after a sustained period of Highlanders pressure, before opposite Ben Lam did the same two minutes from halftime. But where Naholo had enjoyed a light stroll to the line, Lam had to bullock his way over in the tackles of Lima Sopoaga and Naholo, while being forced into touch. There were orange boots everywhere and it appeared as Lam might’ve put a foot out. In the end, the errant boot belonged to Naholo and the Hurricanes took a 12-5 lead into halftime.
The seven-point advantage came at a cost, though. Openside flanker Ardie Savea appeared to badly damage his ribs in the lead-up to Lam’s try.
No sooner had play resumed after the break, than Naholo was in again. Sopoaga converted this time and we were back to all-square.
Jordie Barrett booted a longrange penalty to put the Hurricanes 15-12 but neither side had done much to suggest they’d be the one to emerge victorious.
Instead it was wing Vince Aso, once again subbed on for Julian Savea, who produced a brilliant 65th-minute put-down to push the Hurricanes out to 20-12.
He and fullback Jordie had exchanged passes, with Aso diving over in the tackle of Ben Smith.
Beauden Barrett converted from touch.
The impressive Lam put the final exclamation point on things by powering over for a second try.
(Ben Lam 2, Beauden Barrett, Vince Aso tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con, Jordie Barrett pen) (Waisake Naholo 2 tries; Lima Sopoaga con). HT: 12-5.