Hurricanes hang on, Jaguares upset Waratahs

Beauden Barrett charges forward into a Crusaders tackle last night in his 100th match for the...
Beauden Barrett charges forward into a Crusaders tackle last night in his 100th match for the Hurricanes. Photo: Getty Images
A round-up of this week's Super Rugby clashes.

HURRICANES 29 CRUSADERS 19

The Hurricanes used a blistering start to hold off a Crusaders' forward pack-inspired fightback and sneak a 29-19 victory in their Super Rugby clash at Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday night.

The Hurricanes had stormed out to a 21-0 lead before the visitors slowed the pace of the game and starved the home side of the ball to get back to 26-19 with 25 minutes to go.

The Crusaders, however, missed the experienced influence of All Blacks Ryan Crotty and Sam Whitelock, who were both taken off for head injury assessments and did not return.

Both Crotty and Whitelock were the victims of a rampant Hurricanes side, who controlled the ball, stormed over the advantage line, put players into space and smashed into anyone wearing red.

They harnessed that intensity to race out to a 21-0 lead with tries to prop Chris Eves, TJ Perenara and former All Blacks sevens winger Ben Lam, who finished off a sweeping 80-metre counter-attack.

The Crusaders, however, slowly worked their way back into the game as their forwards began to compete in the collision area and give their backs opportunities with replacement winger Manasa Mataele crossing after he beat three defenders.

Hurricanes centre Matt Proctor restored the three-try advantage when Brad Shields charged down a Mitch Hunt clearing kick.

The Crusaders, however, sent an ominious message just before the break when Jordan Taufua crashed over from a long-distance rolling maul to reduce the deficit to 26-12.

The eight-times champion Crusaders continued that momentum in the second half, dominated territory and possession and reduced the deficit to 26-19 when Michael Ala'alatoa placed the ball against the post.

Fullback Jordie Barrett, however, managed to slam over a long-range penalty with less than 15 minutes remaining that gave the Hurricanes the breathing space they required.

Agustin Creevy (centre) powers on for the Jaguares. Photo: Getty Images
Agustin Creevy (centre) powers on for the Jaguares. Photo: Getty Images

JAGUARES 38 WARATAHS 28

The Jaguares offered the perfect response to their critics on Saturday by scoring four unanswered tries in the opening quarter of a 38-28 Super Rugby win over the Waratahs at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires.

Stung by criticism from former Argentine great Hugo Porta that they were a team with no soul, the Jaguares recorded their first win in four matches, ending their worst start since joining the competition in 2016.

They were in scintillating attacking form from the start and winger Emiliano Boffelli had two tries on the board inside 11 minutes as they carved out a 33-7 halftime lead.

Fullback Joaquin Tuculet cut through the Waratahs' defence for their third after 16 minutes and flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez touched down again four minutes later to round off a fine team attack.

The Australians finally pierced the home defence after 35 minutes when number eight Jed Holloway picked up from a ruck and scored under the posts.

The Waratahs, who beat the Stormers and drew with the Sharks in their first two matches, looked to reduce the deficit before the interval but wing Bautista Delguy intercepted flyhalf Bernard Foley’s pass and raced away for the Jaguares’ fifth try, with Sanchez kicking his fourth conversion.

The Waratahs emerged from the break intent on taking the game to the hosts and scored their second try in the 47th minute when Jake Gordon gave Curtis Rona a high pass over the defence and the wing went over with Foley converting.

The Jaguares got their sixth try with Tuculet feeding centre Matias Orlando wide on the left after a series of scrums close to the Waratahs line.

The visitors finished with a flourish with two more tries either side of the hooter from replacement Nick Palmer and fullback Israel Folau, who chased a kick from deep in the Waratahs half and beat Tuculet to touch down.

Makazole Mapimpi races away to score one of two tries for the Sharks in Durban. Photo: Getty Images
Makazole Mapimpi races away to score one of two tries for the Sharks in Durban. Photo: Getty Images

SHARKS 50 SUNWOLVES 22

Wing Makazole Mapimpi scored a brace of tries as South Africa's Sharks recorded a first win of the Super Rugby season and inflicted a third defeat of the campaign on the Sunwolves in Durban on Saturday.

The home side scored seven tries in what was a far from polished performance, but one in which they had too much pace and power for their Japanese visitors.

The Sunwolves had chances beyond the three tries they scored through wings Lomano Lemeki and Will Tupou, and scrumhalf Yutaka Nagare, but in truth never looked as though they would claim a victory.

Aidan Toua celebrates scoring a try for the Reds in Brisbane. Photo: Getty Images
Aidan Toua celebrates scoring a try for the Reds in Brisbane. Photo: Getty Images

REDS 20 BULLS 14

The Reds came back from an 11-point deficit to claim back-to-back Super Rugby victories for the first time since 2014 as they dominated possession and territory against the Bulls in Brisbane.

Fullback Warrick Gelant and halfack Andre Warner scored tries to put the South African side in the ascendancy after 25 minutes, but after that the game swung in the home side's favour.

Tries either side of halftime by number eight Caleb Timu and fullback Aidan Toua gave the Reds the lead, before flyhalf Jono Lance extended their advantage with a late penalty.

The Bulls remain winless in Brisbane in Super Rugby.

Rebels player Marika Koroibete breaks through a tackle. Photo: Getty Images
Rebels player Marika Koroibete breaks through a tackle. Photo: Getty Images

REBELS 33 BRUMBIES 10

Reece Hodge's second try blew the game open as the Rebels thrashed a directionless Brumbies side in Melbourne on Friday to win three successive games for the first time.

Hodge's 64th-minute try extended the Rebels' slim 14-10 lead to 21-10 and the home side then quickly notched further tries to winger Jack Maddocks and replacement scrumhalf Michael Ruru to blow the scoreline out.

The Rebels' Japan international number eight Amanaki Mafi, who scored a first half try, produced several storming runs that got his team over the advantage line in a match that never really developed a flow.

The Brumbies, who have been Australia's best team the last two seasons, initially dominated in the scrum but were on the back foot after the first 20 minutes and their only points came from tries to wingers Chance Peni and Henry Speight.

 

 

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