Cam Roigard (left) and Ruben Love celebrate a try against the Waratahs. Photo / Photosport
Hurricanes 57
Waratahs 12
The Hurricanes attack has exploded to life in a nine-try dismantling of the Waratahs at Sky Stadium on Friday night.
After stuttering through the opening rounds with one victory from their first four games, the capital side climbed to sixth on the Super Rugby Pacific standings with a second consecutive win.
And unlike their tense triumph over the Highlanders in Dunedin a fortnight ago, last season’s table-toppers returned from the bye with a thumping.
Kini Naholo nabbed a hat-trick as the rampant Hurricanes closed the first half strong and then broke free after the break, running rampant against a team who had come into the game with the best defence in the competition.
The Waratahs were flying high with four wins from five while allowing 25.6 points per game, giving up more than double that mark on a chastening night in Wellington.
The visitors started the stronger side as Lawson Creighton crossed inside five minutes, but after that much of the match was one-way traffic.
Naholo had an early double to put his side ahead and a two-try blitz before halftime from Asafo Aumua and Cam Roigard allowed the hosts to take a 24-7 lead into the second spell.
After Archie Saunders pulled one back, the Waratahs would have had hopes for a revival but the game changed in the 52nd minute when Joey Walton was sent to the sin bin as the Hurricanes were awarded a penalty try.
Ngatungane Punivai and Brad Shields crossed while the hosts enjoyed a numerical advantage, before Bailyn Sullivan grabbed a well-deserved try and Naholo completed his hat-trick and the Hurricanes’ biggest win over the Waratahs.
Hurricanes 57 (Kini Naholo 3, Asafo Aumua, Cam Roigard, penalty try, Ngane Punivai, Brad Shields, Bailyn Sullivan tries; Riley Hohepa 4 cons, Ruben Love con)
Waratahs 12 (Lawson Creighton, Archie Saunders tries; Lawson Creighton con)
HT: 24-7
The Hurricanes are set to be without first five-eighths Harry Godfrey for up to six weeks because of a lower leg injury, which means Riley Hohepa has been named at 10 to take on the Waratahs.
All other changes made by Clark Laidlaw in the run-on side come in the pack. All Blacks duo Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax start alongside Xavier Numia in the front row after successful returns from injury.
In the loose forwards, Brayden Iose and Brad Shields swap places, with Iose at blindside flanker and Shields on the bench.
Kade Banks also joins the bench to provide cover in the back line.
Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Asafo Aumua (cc) 3. Tyrel Lomax 4. Caleb Delany 5. Zach Gallagher 6. Brayden Iose 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Peter Lakai 9. Cam Roigard 10. Riley Hohepa 11. Kini Naholo 12. Bailyn Sullivan 13. Peter Umaga-Jensen 14. Ngatungane Punivai 15. Ruben Love.
Bench: 16. Jacob Devery 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones 18. Tevita Mafileo 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere 20. Brad Shields 21. Jordi Viljoen 22. Fatafehi Fineanganofo 23. Kabe Banks.
Unavailable: Siale Lauaki (ribs), Daniel Sinkinson (hamstring), Brett Cameron (knee – season), Devan Flanders (ankle), Tjay Clarke (shoulder), Riley Higgins (hand), Billy Proctor (Achilles), Harry Godfrey (lower leg).
Attending a rugby match in Fiji is to experience an atmosphere like no other.