View photosKEY POINTS:
The Hurricanes turned up for a farewell party but it was the Waratahs who enjoyed themselves at the Westpac Stadium here tonight with their best victory of the Super 14 rugby season.
With both teams out of the playoffs, they put on a nothing-to-lose type of game that was full of running and counter-attack attempts and a matching number of handling errors.
The helter-skelter game turned shambolic at times as South African referee JC Fortuin applied the advantage rule constantly and for long periods. But numerous break downs featured as both teams showed a reckless disregard for the basics and preferred a festival-type season ender.
The Hurricanes, farewelling their greatest player Tana Umaga, Paul Tito, Lome Fa'atau, Luke Andrews and Mahonri Schwalger from the Super 14, were hoping to put on a fitting game.
However, the second worst team in the competition before the final round-robin, the Waratahs, upended them, scoring four tries for just their third win of the season.
Lock Dean Mumm, wingers Lachlan Turner and Lote Tuqiri and centre Ben Jacobs scored the Waratahs tries and first five-eighth Peter Hewat kicked 18 points.
First five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth and flanker Jerry Collins scored a try each for the Hurricanes and halfback Piri Weepu kicked two conversions.
- NZPA
