The Hurricanes celebrate a try for Cam Roigard. Photo / Photosport
The Hurricanes celebrate a try for Cam Roigard. Photo / Photosport
Hurricanes 20
Highlanders 18
The Hurricanes have put their season back on track with a determined defensive effort to sneak past the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Sam Gilbert had the chance to nab what would have been a breakthrough win for the home side but his drop-goal attempt with the last kick of the game hooked wide of the posts.
The Highlanders enjoyed plenty of opportunities to end a seven-match losing run in this fixture but instead found themselves foiled by a defence that bent without breaking and produced key plays at opportune times.
It was a much-needed rearguard – the Hurricanes came into the contest last on the table with a bottom-four defence – and one led by a standout display from Du’Plessis Kirifi.
The flanker was busy throughout and a constant menace at the breakdown, making 21 tackles while winning two turnovers. The second came on his own line in the final minutes as the Highlanders sniffed the lead, snuffing out a 20-phase play and the hosts’ best last chance.
“We’re happy with the win,” Kirifi told Sky Sport. “We needed it, obviously, and we’ve been working extremely hard, so to come out here and put a performance out there that represents the work we’ve been doing is really pleasing.
“My mentality is whatever’s best for the team. If the boys are doing a job then there’s no need for me to go looking. It just happened to fall at my feet and I back myself enough to get in there and get that one without giving away a penalty these days. I’m not going searching, but if it’s there I’m going to take it.”
The Highlanders learnt that the hard way, having controlled possession while racking up twice as many run metres but lacking the skill to regularly penetrate the line.
Their hopes of building on back-to-back wins over the two Auckland teams weren’t helped by their start, as the Hurricanes spent several minutes camped in the hosts’ 22 before matching that patience with a clinical move for Kini Naholo to cross.
That early boost allowed the visitors to earn first-half supremacy, though their progress was somewhat stalled by a yellow card for Ngane Punivai – adding insult to the head injury he suffered in contact.
Kini Naholo of the Hurricanes scores the opening try against the Highlanders. Photo / Photosport
In a moment, though, what could have been a handy halftime edge turned into a deficit, as Caleb Tangitau picked off a Brad Shields pass and raced the length of the field to repeat his similar effort against Moana Pasifika.
It wasn’t exactly an undeserving advantage – the Highlanders could have been ahead earlier had they cut out errors in their ball-carrying and offered more solidity at the breakdown. But with Kirifi making life difficult for the opposition, the Hurricanes would have felt they deserved more from the first 40 minutes.
The visitors did at least begin the second half the same way they started the first, with Cam Roigard the beneficiary of a sharp break and unselfish pass from Bailyn Sullivan.
And as All Blacks Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax returned from injury off the bench, the Hurricanes would have been confident of closing the stronger side, especially after Ruben Love added an acrobatic finish in the corner.
Yet the Highlanders kept coming and, with Ajay Faleafaga scoring the hosts’ second following another opportunistic play from Tangitau, the Hurricanes were made to grind it out with what this season had been a wobbly defence.
“We knew we had to go to another level and dig deep for ourselves and each other,” Kirifi said. “We’ve been going all right for parts of the season and then we’ve been letting ourselves down, so the challenge tonight was to put together 80 minutes.
“That’s what we want from our group. We want the boys to keep it simple, keep the ref out of the game and defend like our season depends on it. Which it does.”
Hurricanes 20 (Kini Naholo, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love tries; Harry Godfrey pen, con)
