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[VIDEO] Hurricanes vs Waratahs highlights: Super Rugby scores, blog

18th April, 2015
Venue: Wellington Stadium
Kick-off: 2:30pm AEDT
Last match: 3/5/2014 – Waratahs 39 Hurricanes 30
Last five results: Waratahs 3 Hurricanes 2
Betting: Hurricanes $1.44, Waratahs $2.75

Waratahs
Benn Robinson, Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, Dave Dennis, Pat McCutcheon, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham, Israel Folau
Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Jacques Potgieter, Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles, Brendan McKibbin, Matt Carraro, David Horwitz, Jed Holloway.

Hurricanes
Reggie Goodes, Motu Matu'u, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, James Broadhurst, Callum Gibbins, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Cory Jame, Nehe Milner-Skudder
Reserves: Brayden Mitchell, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Chris Eves, Mark Abbott, Adam Hill, Frae Wilson, Rey Lee-Lo, James Marshall.
Adam Ashley-Cooper returns for the Tahs' road trip to face the Hurricanes in Wellington. (AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)
Roar Guru
18th April, 2015
286
9729 Reads

Match result:

The NSW Waratahs have inflicted the first loss of the season to the Wellington Hurriances as they defeated the New Zealand team at home 29-24.

WARATAHS 29
HURRICANES 24

One try and a penalty goal in the second half to the Waratahs gave them the win after scores were level at half time.

In a thoroughly enjoyable game to watch, both teams attacked, and looked for the try line rather than taking the penalty goal on offer.

It was the Hurricanes who started well but couldn’t put the score on the board.

They could have had up to 14 points on the board, through penalties and tries, but the Waratahs defence and basic errors kept them scoreless.

This included a knock on from Ardie Savea who put the ball on his foot as he was trying to ground the try.

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The knock on would hurt the Canes as the Waratahs opened the scoring after 14 minutes.

Peter Betham was on the end of a nice play from the Tahs and he would score first in the game.

Seven minutes later, the Hurricanes leveled at 7-7, with a try to Conrad Smith from a scrum 5 metres out.

He would receive the pass from the scrum feed and easily go over the line to score for Wellington.

Two minutes later the Hurricanes showed their attacking flair with a great run from Beauden Barrett.

He would kick the ball ahead of him, gather the ball, and then run 70 metres past the Waratahs defence to give them the lead.

While he missed the conversion, for the extra two points, the Hurricanes would lead 12-7.

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The Waratahs would respond in the next few minutes, and after having a Beale try disallowed in the 32nd minute, they would take the lead after 34 minutes.

Will Skelton would score his first try for the Tahs as they took a 14-12 lead.

Two minutes before half time the Hurricanes would score again through Shields to take a 19-14 lead.

That should have been the half time lead but the Hurricanes would make a mistake at the end of the half to give the Waratahs a try right on the break.

Betham would intercept a counter attack move by Wellington and score his second try of the match.

At half time the two teams would be level.

In the second half, the first twenty minutes were dominated by the Tahs, as they scored a try to Israel Folau for a 26-19 lead.

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They extended the margin to 10 points with a penalty in the 58th minute and started to focus on holding on in the match.

This allowed the Hurricanes to attack and they cut the margin down to five points with 9 minutes to go with a try to TJ Perenara.

Unfortunately for them, the Waratahs defence held on, and they won a penalty with two minutes to go to seal the match.

Foley would miss the attempt which gave the Hurricanes one last chance to win.

A knock on from Wellington would end the game and hand the Waratahs their best win of the season.

They now move to 6th on the Super 15 table and remain in second in the Australian conference.

The Hurricanes remain in first but the gap between them and the Chiefs close to one point in the NZ conference.

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Wellington now travel to Australia to face the Reds with the Waratahs playing the Rebels in Sydney next week.

Match preview:

The Waratahs will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Stormers when they take on the undefeated Hurricanes in Wellington. Join The Roar for live coverage of the match from 2:30pm (AEST).

Currently on top of the ladder, with seven wins out of seven, the Hurricanes have dominated the competition this season.

They are ranked third in points scored and have the second best defence in the league.

In two matches against against Australian opponents, in the Rebels and the Force, the Hurricanes have won by an average of 26.5 points.

Furthermore, in nine matches in Wellington, the Waratahs have only won twice, with their last win coming in 2009.

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The Tahs’ daunting task has been helped with the inclusion of Adam Ashley-Cooper for the match.

The Wallabies outside centre has been out of action since Round 2 against the Rebels with a knee injury.

In other changes, Pat McCutcheon will replace Jacques Potgeiter at 6, while Peter Betham takes Taqele Naiyaravoro’s spot on the wing – the Fijian is having visa issues.

The Hurricanes have made just one change, with Victor Vito replaced by Ardie Savea at 7.

Prediction
It’s hard to see the Waratahs beating the Hurricanes today.

The five Australian franchises have won just three matches of 16 this year against South African and New Zealand teams.

Only one of those three – the Rebels’ win against the Crusaders in Round 1 – was won away from home.

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The Canes should secure their eighth straight win of the season and further cement themselves as the team to beat.

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