Rugby: Perenara stands out as Canes fall apart

Jason Eaton of the Hurricanes and Ben Mowen of the Brumbies. Photo / Getty Images

Competitive fire scorches through halfback TJ Perenara's frame. He oozes combat and when his side is battling, he finds ways to ignite them.

He did that last night at the Cake Tin with two tries as he harried and hassled the Brumbies, dragging his teammates with him to what should have been another precious victory in the Super 15. Instead his teammates withered under late Brumbies fire.

Perenara is supposed to be a teenager finding his place in the Super 15 but must have been very close to being picked in the All Blacks wider training group.

Sometimes his pass can be a touch ropey or he tries to pick too many duels, but Perenara's energy and purpose have been significant weapons in the Hurricanes armoury this season. He has made more things happen than most of the other halfbacks in New Zealand sides.

His second try was golden as he shaped up outside new All Black selection Julian Savea. The wing made several majestic bursts during the match and after one, Perenara took off, beat gun young flanker Michael Hooper on the outside then sidestepped Henry Speight to glide to the line. It was just magic.

When prop replacement Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen was driven across in a maul, the Canes had a handy lead with 30 minutes to run. Who knows whether they buttoned off a shade and lost concentration.

But there is plenty more backbone in the Brumbies this season and they grabbed three quick tries in response. Lock Sam Carter scored after the Canes defence was broken too easily then Hooper was driven over after the Hurricanes made a monstrous mess of their own scrum and subsequent defensive lines.

They were not done. Occasional five-eighths Zack Holmes who goalkicked strongly, stepped off his left foot past the drifting defence for the bonus point try as the Brumbies comeback doused the locals' spirit.

The first half was a willing contest, often lacking in sharp clarity, but there was stacks of purpose. Both teams mixed up their moves with the Brumbies trying their luck closer in or with attacking kicks while the Canes thought more about shifting possession to the flanks.

They also brought off one slick set move to give No 8 Victor Vito a try from the base of the scrum.

He peeled away and shot the ball to Tusi Pisi whose pass found Tim Bateman on the cut. But like the scissor moves made famous by the Going clan, Bateman switched the ball to Vito and no one could get a decent hit on the athletic looseforward. It was a cracking training ground execution and gave the Canes the lead for the first time in the match.

They had been stung early as the Brumbies clicked through their patterns. From a turnover pinched near their 22, the visitors surged downfield for No 8 Fotu Auelua to be awarded the try after TV confirmation.

It was 10-0 after eight minutes with the Canes looking uncertain and disconnected.

But then as he has so often this season, the feisty Perenara found some venom and ducked around the side of a driving maul to burrow under two defenders. Lock Jason Eaton nearly scored in the same corner but Hooper's tackle knocked the lock into touch and the young flanker into a bewildered state for some time.

In the end though the Brumbies got their act together as the Canes watched their game unravel.

Brumbies 37

Tries: F Auelua, S Carter, M Hooper, Z Holmes

Conversions:
Z Holmes 4
Penalties:
Z Holmes 3

Hurricanes 25

Tries: TJ Perenara 2, V Vito, J Toomaga-Allen
Conversions: A Taylor
Penalty: A Taylor
Halftime: 15-13