The Hurricanes will be glad to see the back of Canberra, after their unbeaten run in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific in 2024 came to an end at the hands of the Brumbies with a 27-19 defeat.
The team from New Zealand’s capital city have now gone six matches without a win in Australia’s capital city, having last tasted success there in 2017.
Three tries inside the first 20 minutes at GIO Stadium gave the Brumbies a 21-5 lead and they never looked back from there as they won 27-19 to close the gap between themselves in third and the Hurricanes in first to six points.
The Brumbies’ lineout had been a mess in their loss to the second-placed Blues at Eden Park in Auckland last weekend, but they made full use of it early, going close with a maul then sending Noah Lolesio over down the left.
Prop Xavier Numia responded for the Hurricanes after their own lineout drive, picking up a sloppy pass and crashing over, but when second-five Tamati Tua and winger OIlie Sapsford both cut through down the right, the Brumbies were racing clear.
Their lead became 24-5 when Lolesio slotted a penalty, but Numia was able to cut into the deficit before the break, scoring his second try after the Hurricanes returned to fundamentals, carrying the ball solidly up the middle of the field.
A penalty early in the second half stretched the Brumbies’ lead back out to 15 points, but Jordie Barrett replied with a break down the left.
In other games, the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua beat Moana Pasifika 24-17, the Highlanders edged the Force 7-6, while the Blues beat the Reds 41-34.
Source: Stuff.co
