Late drama scuttles Highlanders’ hopes
In a match which deserved to end in a draw, the Hurricanes snatched a victory off the Highlanders with a last-gasp Beauden Barrett penalty.
The first-five slotted the threepointer from right out in front on the 22-metre line after the final hooter to give his side a 25-22 win at Westpac Stadium in Wellington last night.
Luke Whitelock was the man pinged for hands in the ruck to gift Barrett the chance to win the game. That moment was in stark contrast to the emotions his No 8 opposite Ardie Savea would be feeling after he won two crucial ruck turnovers in the final five minutes to give his side a chance to charge down the other end and win.
The two teams cancelled each other out and it looked like what might be a rare deserved draw playing out until the late Whitelock mistake and Barrett’s kick.
Earlier, the first half was a middling affair, which the Hurricanes finished on top 14-8.
Highlanders halfback Aaron Smith got the first try in the 11th minute, dotting down from about 15 centimetres out after his forwards had monstered a Hurricanes scrum 5m from their own line.
The Hurricanes continued undeterred with their pressure game, but it took until the 26th minute for one of their plays to finally come off.
TJ Perenara showed a deft touch to delay a pass to lock Liam Mitchell, who went through a large gap in the midfield. Mitchell galloped on another 25m before passing to Ngani Laumape to touch down.
Highlanders first-five Josh Ioane slotted a penalty from out in front soon after, but was at fault for the Hurricanes’ second try with time almost up, capping an error-ridden first half for the 23-year-old.
His clearing kick into the strong southerly breeze from his own ingoal did not go out, bouncing about 25m from his own line. Barrett, in a master showing the apprentice-type moment, grabbed the ball and produced a pinpoint cross-kick to Laumape on the left wing. Ioane, to his credit, had raced across to the other side of the field, but could do nothing to stop Laumape from five metres out.
Ioane’s rough night continued to get worse when he dropped a kick which fell short of him five minutes into the second half. He was dragged off for Marty Banks three minutes later.
He looked a tad disconsolate making his way to the bench, but might have got a boost in the 51st minute when Beauden Barrett showed him even the best make mistakes when he threw a silly intercept just outside his own 22 to allow Sio Tomkinson to go in untouched and wrestle back the lead for the visitors.
Another experienced pivot in Banks also made a silly error soon after when putting a penalty kick to touch out dead, relieving a lot of pressure that the Hurricanes had been under.
Banks made no mistake with his next kick out in the 60th minute, giving the Highlanders a 5m lineout which they turned into a rolling maul try to Liam Coltman. Banks then converted from the sideline to push the lead to eight.
Beauden Barrett struck back with a penalty just two minutes later, before with 10 minutes to go the Hurricanes produced another slick backline move deep in the Highlanders’ 22 to send Ben Lam in for a try in the left corner. Barrett missed the sideline conversion, meaning the score was tied at 22-22 with eight minutes to go.
Twice the Highlanders surged into the Hurricanes’ 22 and twice they were repelled by Savea breakdown turnovers. It was a continuation of what has been a very impressive start to the season for the superstar loose forward.
That second turnover led to the hurricanes going on the attack in the final minute in and around halfway. They got to the 22 when Whitelock was pinged for hands in the ruck right out in front of the posts, and Barrett duly slotted the match-winning three points after the final hooter.
Hurricanes 25