Hurricanes 39 Chiefs 19
KEY POINTS:
Four first half tries have helped the Hurricanes to a 39-19 win over the Chiefs in their round three Super 14 match in Wellington tonight.
Ma'a Nonu, Jimmy Gopperth, Alby Mathewson and Shannon Paku all crossed in the opening forty minutes to give the home side a 14-point
halftime lead, while tries in the second half to Rodney So'oialo and Chris Masoe secured the Hurricanes' second victory of the competition.
The Chiefs applied the early pressure but it was the Hurricanes who opened the scoring thanks to a brilliant one-hand offload from Jerry Collins.
After a counter-attack started by fullback Corey Jane put the Hurricanes into Chiefs territory, Collins charged at the defensive line and found Nonu as he hit the turf.
The Hurricanes winger then dashed 35m to score, stepping one defender and carrying another over the line.
The Chiefs hit back shortly after when Liam Messam capitalised on a break engineered by Sitiveni Sivivatu and Viliame Waqaseduadua to barge over from close range.
However, the home side then scored three tries in quick succession to give the Chiefs all the work to do in the second half.
Directly after Messam's try, the Hurricanes secured a turnover from the kick-off and Gopperth crossed near the posts after a John Schwalger burst put them in scoring position.
Gopperth was involved in the next try when he cut through the Chiefs' defence on halfway and showed good vision to put a kick through for replacement halfback Mathewson, who had just got on the field, to dive on in the in-goal area.
Paku then fininshed off a great team try which started in Hurricanes territory and went through multiple hands.
Chiefs first five-eighth Stephen Donald scored just before halftime to keep the visitors in the game and give him a much-needed confidence boost after he missed his first three kicks at goal.
The Chiefs made the perfect start to the second half with a try to flanker Tanerau Latimer.
A So'oialo mistake inside his own 22m gave possession to the Chiefs and Latimer drove over following Sione Lauaki's charge off the back of the scrum.
But the Hurricanes skipper made up for his mistake when, after sustained pressure in the Chiefs' half, he timed his run to perfection to slip through a gap and carry three defenders over the line to score.
With 13 minutes remaining Hurricanes flanker Chris Masoe gave his side a nice cushion when he borrowed over, while Tane Tu'ipulotu landed a drop goal on fulltime to extend the margin.
Hurricanes 39 (Ma'a Nonu, Jimmy Gopperth, Alby Mathewson, Shannon Paku, Rodney So'oialo, Chris Masoe tries, Gopperth 3 con, Tane Tu'ipulotu dropped goal), Chiefs 19 (Liam Messam, Stephen Donald, Tanerau Latimer tries, Donald 2 con). Halftime 26-12.
- NZ HERAL STAFF