Hurricanes 23 Reds 18
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The Hurricanes overcame a high error rate and some spirited opposition to get their Super 14 rugby season back on track with a 23-18 win over the Reds in Wellington tonight.
The Hurricanes repeatedly broke the Reds line with winger Ma'a Nonu in the thick of things but at halftime they found themselves down 10-13.
The Reds capitalised on the string of Hurricanes turnovers while playing some solid, purposeful rugby to score a converted try and two penalties to the Hurricanes' converted try and penalty in the first 40 minutes.
The Hurricanes' 3-20 loss to the Waratahs last week contained 33 turnovers and by the 50th minute of tonight's game they had added another 22.
All the counter-attacking razzle was still in their game but the dazzle was distinctly lacking.
However, length of the field counter-attacking tries in each half to Tane Tu'ipulotu and Nonu suggest that they are not far from recapturing their best form as they adapt to the experimental law variations.
The Reds took the lead after just nine minutes through a Clinton Schifcofske penalty and extended that 5min later.
A period of controlled play where they tested the Hurricanes defence with a series of one-off runs culminated with a try to lock Van Humphries, who broke a couple of feeble tackles to dot down.
Schifcofske converted from a wide angle to give the Reds a 10-0 lead which lasted just 5min.
The Hurricanes' reply was typically flashy, when a clearance from first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth did not find touch, instead bouncing at a wicked angle to enable Hosea Gear to snatch the ball from Reds wing Digby Ioane.
Gear found Tu'ipulotu with an inside pass and the midfield replacement had an unopposed to the line for Gopperth to convert.
The scoring in the first half was completed with Schifcofske and Gopperth exchanging penalties.
Gopperth levelled the scores with a penalty early in the second half and then produced another scintillating try.
The ball was turned over as a Reds attack broke down and swiftly moved through four pairs of hands before it found Nonu, who dutifully scurried away for the try.
Gopperth then landed a penalty in the 65th minute to give his side a handy 23-13 lead.
Another piece of slack defending on behalf of the home side allowed Reds No 8 John Roe a try in the 77th minute to earn his team a bonus point from their trip to Wellington where they have not won in 11 seasons.
Hurricanes 23 (Tane Tu'ipulotu Ma'a Nonu try, Jimmy Gopperth 3 pen, 2 con) Queensland Reds 18 (Van Humphries, John Roe tries, Clinton Schifcofske 2 pen, con) . Halftime 10-13.
- NZPA
