In a match with plenty of energy but not a lot of accuracy, the Hurricanes recorded a 41-22 win over the Highlanders in Wellington last night.
The Highlanders were right in the game at halftime, leading 17-15, but never got anything going in the second 40 minutes.
The Hurricanes had all the ball and that weight of possession eventually told as the side came home strongly in the final quarter of the game.
The Highlanders were down 29-22 with 20 minutes left but asked few questions of the Hurricanes defence as they showed a lack of variety on attack.
The home side soaked up the pressure and then broke out with a try to replacement loose forward Brayden Iose which killed off the Highlanders’ chances.
Left winger Salesi Rayasi put the icing on the cake with a try in the dying minutes as the Highlanders ran out of defensive numbers.
The Highlanders had a purple patch in the first half but never got near those levels in the rest of the game.
Highlanders coach Tony Brown told Sky TV said after the game the team did not have a much luck in the second half.
The side had played well in the first half but was a bit soft in the tackle and at the edges in the second half, he said.
The first half was one in which neither side could achieve any ascendancy.
The Highlanders scored two good tries and led by 10 points at the half hour mark.
The home team had opened the try-scoring when powerful No8 Devan Flanders went over after the ball was in play for more than two minutes.
After an ugly scuffle between Highlanders first five-eighth Mitch Hunt and Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles which led to both being yellow carded, the Highlanders went on the front foot.
No8 Kazuki Himeno barged through a gap and the Highlanders banged away, getting right to the tryline when lock Josh Dickson went over.
The Highlanders scrum was winning the battle up front and won a third scrum penalty in under 30 minutes.
The ball was kicked into the corner and from there the Highlanders put on a clinic.
The side won the lineout, drove hard to the line and, when the ball was held up, it was moved wide and Jona Nareki scored.
The Highlanders were in control but shot themselves in the foot in the dying minutes of the first half.
The side made a silly call to refer a clumsy bit of play by Coles to a captain’s challenge.
The Highlanders ended up being penalised, the Hurricanes won the resulting lineout and, from the rolling maul, Coles scored.
Barrett knocked over a penalty on halftime to leave the Highlanders up 17-15 at the break.
Best for the Highlanders was halfback Aaron Smith, and Himeno in his limited minutes on the field while Shannon Frizell continued his rich vein of form.
Nehe Milner-Skudder made a good fist of his role at fullback in his first appearance at this level for three years.
