Hurricanes: 45 (Fehi Fineanganofo 4, Josh Moorby 2, Jone Rova tries; Ruben Love 5 cons) Brumbies: 12 (David Feliuai, Corey Toole tries; Tane Edmed con) HT: 19-0
The Hurricanes jumped back to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific Table with a rollicking 45-12 win over the Brumbies. It was their biggest win in this 35-game fixture since a 56-21 victory in Napier in 2017.
In that game, rampaging winger Vince Aso scored three of the Hurricanes' eight tries while the solitary survivor from the McLean Park, Napier romp, Jordie Barrett, kicked seven conversions.
Fehi Fineanganofo, 23, was the demolition merchant this time, joining Ben Lam (Melbourne Rebels, 50-19, 2018), Ngani Laumape (Blues, 42-24, 2018), and Bailyn Sullivan (Chiefs, 35-17) as a Hurricane to score four tries in a single Super Rugby match.
Fineanganofo crossed in the 7th, 20th, 38th, and 58th minutes to boost his season tally to 14 tries in eight games. He is two short of the Hurricanes record held by Ben Lam.
His first try, in the seventh minute, was created by All Blacks centre Billy Proctor flinging a wide pass that skipped two after a break by All Blacks first five-eighth Ruben Love. The second came from tidy lineout work and a clinical pass from Jordie Barrett.
The Brumbies were mediocre, kicking poorly and making uncharacteristic errors. Veteran prop James Slipper stranded on the wing defending Fineanganofo is cause for alarm. Even worse was two-time John Eales Medal winner Rob Valetini throwing a wayward pass that was smartly collected by Fineanganofo to score his fourth.
Fellow winger Josh Moorby also had a good night, scoring two tries as the Hurricanes' expansive approach, even withstanding 35 kicks, reaped dividends. Curiously, Joride Barrett revealed.
“It was actually pretty difficult to move the ball, believe it or not, under the roof. It was getting humid and pretty greasy, so we had to be pretty disciplined in our own half and just try to play down the right end of the field and try to capitalise when they tried to overplay their hand.”
Du'Plessis Kirifi became the 19th Hurricane to celebrate 100 games. The co-captain performed with typical zeal, topping the tackle count with 19 and poaching a turnover.
The Hurricanes broke 51 tackles compared to 16 and won 15 of 16 lineouts compared to the Brumbies' 9 of 12. Lock and Japanese captain Warner Dearns had another explosive game, claiming six lineout catches and making 14 tackles and nine carries. Hooker Raymond Tuputupu made 17 tackles in addition to his precise lineout work. For the Brumbies, Corey Toole was lively, charging for a game-high 203 meters and scoring a 69th-minute intercept try. Rory Scott made 19 tackles.
The Hurricanes achieved their 250th win. Only the Crusaders (321) and Brumbies (263) have more.
The referee was Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Blues: 36 (Zarn Sullivan 2, Cole Forbes, Dalton Papali’i, Bradley Slater tries; Beauden Barrett 4 cons, pen) Queensland Reds: 33 (Frasier McReight, Harry Wilson, Jock Campbell, Tim Ryan, Louis Werchon tries; McLaughlin-Phillips 3, Volavola cons) HT: 21-21
For the second time in a Super Round, the Reds have been beaten in golden point extra time. In 2024, a Pasilio Tosi try in the 87th minute secured the Hurricanes a 38-33 win over the Reds in Melbourne.
Tonight, a Beauden Barrett penalty in the 84th minute after 18 phases from 25 meters out directly in front sank the Queenslanders.
Unfortunately, openside Fraser McReight, who otherwise had a blinder, topping the tackle count with 22, securing a turnover and scoring a try, infringed at ruck time, gifting Barrett the chance to shoot for glory. In 176 Super Rugby games, Barrett has won 116 times and scored 1,613 points. His 220th penalty was literally golden.
In a thrilling ten-try contest, the Reds twice rallied from a dozen behind to draw level.
The Blues opened the scoring after six minutes, courtesy of a line-break by Māori All Blacks fullback Zarn Sullivan. McReight responded for the Reds, capitalising on an Anton Segner penalty.
Former Christ’s College lock Sam Darry won acclaim from the Christchurch crowd by sending Blues winger Cole Forbes over in the left corner with an audacious cutout pass. Slippery Sullivan then skittled through for his second, making it 21-7.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson and consistently excellent fullback Jock Campbell drew the Reds level by halftime.
The Blues regained the ascendancy quickly after the break, with Dalton Papali’i muscling through. They appeared comfortable in the 63rd minute when hooker Bradley Slater rumbled over for a trademark rolling maul try. Slater hit all ten lineout throws, topped the Blues' carry count with 10, and made 17 tackles, one behind Papali’i as the Blues' top tackler.
Rookie midfield back Treyvon Pritchard sparked the Reds' resurgence with a slashing break to set up Tim Ryan, who had earlier been denied by Cole Forbes. Finlay Christie, in his 101st game, stooped opposite halfback, Kalani Thomas.
The Reds' lineout muscle drew them level in the last play of regulation time. Following a penalty, a strong drive stretched the Blues, and halfback Louis Werchon slipped through. Werchon, along with fellow Reds John Bryant, Richie Asiata, and Josh Flook, had a spell with Benetton in Italy. in Italy.
Blues coach Vern Cotter described the victory as one of the Blues' toughest. The Blues had to make a change at halfback during the final quarter, with reserve halfback Taufa Funaki going off injured, forcing All Blacks first five-eighth Stephen Perofeta to go into an unfamiliar halfback position.
“The guys dug deep, and I think that’s really important moving forward, that you can get yourselves out of potentially a tight situation,” Cotter said.
The referee was James Doleman from New Zealand.
