Late try lifts Hurricanes to win over Bulls

The Hurricanes repeated their last-minute winning act of last week and pulled off a highly satisfying 26-23 Super 14 rugby win over the Bulls in Pretoria early today (NZT).

They muscled in a winning try by hooker Andrew Hore three minutes from end just when everything seemed lost.

Captain Rodney So'oialo ordered a kick for touch from a kickable penalty, Jason Eaton took the ensuing lineout and the Hurricanes mauled.

Though it took a sustained effort against the bigger and heavier Bulls pack, they finally ploughed over to take the lead in the game for the first time.

Replacement first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth converted the try, and as they did in beating the Stormers 23-19 in Cape Town last week, the Hurricanes pulled off an unlikely looking victory.

The Bulls put everything into chasing a draw or victory in the last couple of minutes but the Hurricanes held on.

"We kicked a lot in the first half. I told the boys we'll do what we have been doing at training -- hold on to the ball and put pressure, the defence will crack," So'oialo said.

"Patience paid off for us last week and it did again this week."

The Bulls were enraged by a television referee's decision not to award a try to winger Akona Ndungane in the 55th minute, which would have stretched their lead to 25-12 and 27-12 if it was converted.

The television referee ruled the ball wasn't controlled when Ndungane dived on it.

"It's the TMO's decision, we can't do anything about it but we didn't play well enough in the end there to deserve the win," Bulls captain Victor Matfield said.

Both teams scored two tries, Ndungane and Bryan Habana for the Bulls, with first five-eighth Derick Hougaard kicking 13 points, and replacement winger Shannon Paku and Hore for the Hurricanes. First five-eighth David Holwell kicked four penalties and his replacement Gopperth two conversions.

The Hurricanes struggled against the powerful Bulls forwards in the first half, lost at least three lineouts and managed just three from at least a dozen to lay some sort of foundation for an attack.

While Holwell's goalkicking was spot-on, he constantly punted too far to get any player underneath the ball in time.

It took the Bulls less than two minutes to score through Ndungane.

They won a Hurricanes throw into the lineout and the backs ran hard, with Ndungane finishing off a through kick by fullback Johan Roets.

Hougaard converted and added two penalty goals to Holwell's three to lead 13-9 at halftime.

Holwell added his fourth goal in the 52nd minute before Paku was guilty of sending a blind pass back in a tackle as the Hurricanes settled down and moved the ball around quickly between the backs and the forwards. Habana intercepted the pass and raced 95m, using a tap kick to beat the cover defence, to score.

Up 20-12, the Bulls hit with brute force and Ndungane crashed over three minutes later but the television referee ruled he didn't control the ball.

Paku made amends in the 62nd minute when he chased a through kick and touched down, putting Hurricanes back in the game at 19-20.

The big Bulls pack appeared exhausted as they had their hands on their knees at every break down. The Hurricanes gradually upped the tempo, doing what they're best known for -- attacking from anywhere on the field.

They pinned the homeside deep in their own territory and earned the penalty which they turned into a winner to maintain second place on 25 points two behind the Crusaders.

Hurricanes 26 (Shannon Paku, Andrew Hore try; David Holwell 4 pen, Jimmy Gopperth 2 con)
Bulls 23 (Akona Ndungane, Bryan Habana tries; Derick Hougaard 3 pen, 2 con).
Halftime: 9-13.

- NZPA