Coles: Quality playoffs footy
Hurricanes see off Bulls to book semifinal place against defending champs Crusaders
Salesi Rayasi came off the bench to score two tries as the Hurricanes beat South Africa’s Bulls 35-28 in a Super Rugby quarter-final on Saturday, setting up an all-New Zealand semifinal against the defending champions, the Crusaders.
The Brumbies followed up with a 38-13 win over the Sharks to move into a semifinal next weekend against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires. Forward Pete Samu scored two tries to lead the resurgent Brumbies to a seventh consecutive win.
The semifinal combinations mean only one New Zealand team can reach the final.
Rayasi took the field in only his fifth Super Rugby match as an early replacement for an injured Wes Goosen.
The rookie winger made a clean break from the base of a ruck to score his first try in the 27th minute and handled twice on his way to his second in the 44th which gave the Hurricanes a decisive 29-14 lead just after halftime.
But Rayasi also conceded a penalty try and received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on which prevented a Bulls try in the 50th minute, making his appearance more eventful.
Winger Cornal Hendricks, who was denied a try by Rayasi’s indiscretion, still managed to score two tries for the Bulls.
They scored the first try of the match through winger Warrick Gellant in the 13th, conceded the lead when scrumhalf TJ Perenara scored four minutes later and trailed for the rest of the match.
But the Bulls refused to give up, falling behind by up to 15 points but rallying on each occasion to push the Hurricanes the whole way.
“It was great quality for playoffs footy,” Hurricanes captain Dane Coles said. “The first half was bloody good and they made a comeback in the second half and took the game to the wire.”
Both teams scored four tries and were largely separated by two second-half penalties to Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett, who also made a try-saving tackle in the 68th minute.
Trailing by seven points, the Bulls, who had already drawn two matches in New Zealand this season, threw everything at the Hurricanes to try to force the match to extra time. But in an unfair twist, it was Hendricks who dropped the ball after the final siren to end the match.
The Brumbies advanced to their first Super Rugby semifinal in four years, ensuring an Australian presence in the semis.