By Tim Clarke
May 10th 2008 @ 1:10am
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Hurricanes boost finals prospects and end Force’s slim hopes
Outstanding defence wasn’t enough to save the Western Force’s Super 14 season tonight as the Hurricanes extinguished their flickering semi-final hopes with a 21-10 victory in Wellington.
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Boosting their own playoff prospects, the Hurricanes climbed above the NSW Waratahs into second place on the ladder with their eighth win of the season.
But the Force can start planning for 2009 following their sixth defeat this campaign.
Significantly for Australian rugby fans, though, the gallant Force did the Waratahs a big favour by preventing the Hurricanes from nabbing a bonus point.
The Waratahs, three competition points shy of the Hurricanes with a game in hand, can regain outright second spot and the inside running for a home semi-final if they beat the Stormers in Cape Town early Sunday morning AEST.
Success over the Stormers and then the Queensland Reds in Brisbane in the final round next weekend, plus one bonus point from either match, would guarantee the Waratahs an all-important top-two finish.
defeat to a Hurricanes outfit seemingly assured of a top four spot.
Despite restricting the Hurricanes - who enjoyed a staggering 82 per cent of territory - to two tries, Force captain Nathan Sharpe refused to draw consolation in his side’s brave defensive effort.
Instead, the Wallabies lock, who once again led from the front, said the Force’s loss - and, with it, a likely finish in the bottom half of table this season - was another lesson in how far his side have to go to emulate the lofty position of Colin Cooper’s Hurricanes.
“Our intensity was good, but against the Hurricanes you have got to tackle low, especially on a wet night like tonight,” Sharpe said.
“The first up hits were good but they don’t stick and they get over the advantage line too easily.
“It was a great learning experience for our younger guys, but we never had much chance to play some rugby.
“If we want to be contenders in the Super 14 game we have got to be able to win in those conditions away from home - we have got a bit to do from that game.”
Bereft of many first-choice players, and the ball for long periods, the Force repelled the Hurricanes for long enough periods to keep the home side to one try in each half.
The tries to Andrew Hore and Hosea Gear, as well as four goals to Piri Weepu, saw the Hurricanes climb above the NSW Waratahs into second place on the ladder.
In torrential conditions, the ball retention by the Hurricanes gave them ample opportunities, but Force grit repeatedly held them up inches short.
A succession of goal-line raids were repelled by the Force, with a similar pattern unfolding in the second half - until a yellow card to David Pocock further stressed the visitor’s desperate defence.
Hurricanes skipper Rodney So’oialo praised the Force’s defensive efforts, while hinting they may live to regret not capitalising on their own attacking chances.
“We were still trying to get the bonus point there, but the Force really defended quite well, and made it very hard for us,” So’oialo said
“When we got some points ahead of the Force we tried to get the extra bonus point, but unfortunately we couldn’t.”
The Force now return home to take on the Brumbies at Subiaco in their last game of an ultimately disappointing season which started so promisingly with four wins from their opening six matches.
“We are looking forward to getting home and getting stuck into them,” Sharpe said.
The Hurricanes’ All Blacks prop Neemia Tialata was later cited for a dangerous tackle on the Force’s Dane Haylett-Petty in the 73rd minute of the match.
He will appear for a hearing before Sanzar judiciary officer Chris Morris at the New Zealand Rugby Union headquarters in Wellington on Monday afternoon.
Tialata was cited by citing commissioner Steve Hinds.
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Dayak said | May 10th 2008 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Kaplan does it again to an Australian team- Pocock’s sinbinning was a disgrace and then letting off Weepu by not giving him a yellow card for his blatant stamping on a man’s arm. Also why hasn’t he cited by the citing commissioner. It’s time the refs were called to order.
Jerry said | May 10th 2008 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
I agree Pocock’s sinbinning was harsh (penalty yes, card no), but don’t think Weepu’s little scrape deserved anything - you seriously think it deserves a citing?
The card wouldn’t have changed the result - the Canes were all over the Force for the other 70 minutes remember and in better conditions may have cracked 50 - though they should have got the bonus point regardless. The Force’s scrambling defence was outstanding but they were monstered in the forwards and couldn’t get any good ball all match (I think it was about 40% possession and less than 20% territory).
They had nothing to offer and their lineout seemed to consist of either throwing to Sharpe at the front or Scott Waldrom at the back (which cost one try and very nearly a second).