Ardie Savea reacts as referee Nic Berry blows for fulltime. Photo / Getty
Ardie Savea reacts as referee Nic Berry blows for fulltime. Photo / Getty
Moments after the game, Ardie Savea was convinced. Given time to reflect, the answer remained the same.
“I scored it, brother,” the Hurricanes skipper said of the contentious play that ended his side’s campaign. “One hundred per cent.”
Unfortunately for Savea, that view was not shared by the officials, deemingthere was insufficient evidence to award a try after Savea had crossed in the 85th minute of a thrilling quarter-final clash against the Brumbies in Canberra.
Clinging to a 37-33 lead with the hooter having long sounded, the home side repelled wave after wave of pressure on their own line until Savea went low and came up celebrating what he thought was a match-winner.
But referee Nic Berry ruled no try and replays revealed no clear footage for TMO Brett Cronan to overturn that call. Brumbies flanker Luke Reimer had done just about enough to dig his hand under the ball, and the Hurricanes were eliminated.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” Savea told Stan Sport shortly after the whistle had sounded. “As much as I disagree, that’s just the way footy is. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way and sometimes it does; you’ve just got to live with it.
“I know initially I scored it and then he held me up. But, hey, it is what it is. I’m gutted but, honestly, I’m just truly grateful and blessed to be here and play this game for my team.”
Savea grew emotional as he considered a team for whom he played his last game until 2025, set to spend next season in Japan. The Hurricanes will also farewell coach Jason Holland and veteran Dane Coles, a key trio departing in cruel fashion.
“It’s just unfortunate we got ourselves to the right end of the field in that last 10 minutes but just couldn’t capitalise,” Savea said. “I can sit here and complain, sit here and sulk, but at the end of the day you can’t change it.
“It all came down to a moment and that moment didn’t go our way. I feel for the boys who have played their last game for the team. It’s heartbreaking but you just have to live with it.”
Ardie Savea thought he had scored a match-winning try. Photo / Getty
Holland, joining Scott Robertson’s All Blacks coaching staff in November, resisted the urge to aim a parting shot at the officials while trusting the word of his captain.
“I suppose you just bite your tongue,” Holland said. “There’s nothing much to be said. Ards has said he scored the try, but we’ve got to be able to control what we can control.
“We could have scored a couple of other times in that game with opportunities we created and we weren’t quite accurate enough.”
Indeed, the Hurricanes will similarly regret a golden chance squandered before the controversial finish, as Jordie Barrett carried into contact with teammates free and available on his outside.
Holland also lamented a fifth-place finish in the regular season, consigning his side to a challenging trip across the Tasman. The Hurricanes are without a win in Canberra since 2017 and, with the Brumbies enjoying the benefits of home advantage, Saturday night was their second straight quarter-final defeat in the Australian capital.
“Key moments — that’s sport, isn’t it?” Holland said. “I look back to qualifying 4 v 5 and controlling the things we can control. Part of the battle around coming to Canberra, the 50-50 calls don’t go your way here.
“I thought we created so many opportunities and the Brumbies are really strong around that D, and sometimes it takes six minutes to wear down a team like the Brumbies and score a try. I thought we’d done that.”
