By CHRIS RATTUE
The best double act in the Super 12 saw the Hurricanes inflict the first defeat of this season on the champion Crusaders in Wellington last night.
Although they spent much of the second half shunted out of the limelight by the Crusaders' dominance of that spell, Christian Cullen and Tana Umaga's scoring magic created a 28-22 win which has got the Hurricanes' campaign back on track.
It also ended the Crusaders' 11-game winning streak, while the Hurricanes scored a four-try bonus point.
The Crusaders also scored a bonus point for losing by less than eight points.
Without the two All Blacks, the Hurricanes would be just another team. With them, they are capable of winning any match and maybe even the Super 12 title.
In a pulsating game, it was Cullen and Umaga who created or scored their first three tries. The third part of the famed outside back trio, Jonah Lomu, also played his part in the scoring action although his two tries were just about the only positive involvement he had in the match.
The Hurricanes had to survive so much to win this game, not the least of which was a scrum that was in tatters by the end.
In a continuation of their discipline problems, they had prop Mike Edwards sinbinned for punching at a scrum in the 21st minute, with Andrew Mehrtens goaling from the offence and Marika Vunibaka scoring a try during the prop's absence.
The Hurricanes' lineout was hardly a masterpiece throughout, and they spent most of the second spell defending like crazy.
But through it they showed outstanding courage and commitment, epitomised by first five-eighths David Holwell, who pulled of a couple of magnificent tackles - one of which denied charging lock Steve Lancaster a try. Holwell was another of the Hurricanes heroes, landing four from four goalkicks - all conversions, with three of them from wide out.
It is the Umaga-Cullen threat though, that will be uppermost in opposing coaches' minds as they plot their way through the rest of the competition.
No matter what pressure he is under, Cullen is able to beat the first tackler and Umaga augments his power with trickery and fine passes, one of which opened the way for Lomu's try within the first two minutes of the game.
Cullen scooted around Norm Berryman and stepped past fullback Aaron Mauger, a late replacement for Leon MacDonald, for the second.
And it was Cullen who got the third, with Umaga providing a final pass which looked marginally forward.
The Crusaders led 22-21 by the 64th minute, when captain Todd Blackadder was awarded a video referee try after stretching out near the corner flag.
But the final blow was left to Lomu, who drove into the corner after a scrambling backline move from a rare Hurricanes attack.
The Crusaders' effort was led by loose forward Scott Robertson, who must be oh-so-close to a test position.
But the selectors must be scratching their heads over the likes of Lomu and Berryman, who can be terrific one moment but so very shaky in others, especially on defence.
Poor Berryman tackles led to two of the Hurricanes' tries, and Lomu even allowed his opposite Vunibaka to push through him with ease for a first-half try.
Hurricanes 28 (J. Lomu 2, C. Cullen 2 tries; D Holwell 4 con) Crusaders 22 (M. Vunibaka, T. Blackadder tries; A. Mehrtens 4 pen). Halftime: 14-all.
Rugby: Cullen, Umaga weave magic
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