Trans Tasman Super Rugby

by Rajitha Ratwatte

Round two of the Trans-Tasman super rugby tournament had two matches played on Friday night. The first one was the Wellington Hurricanes at home to the Melbourne Rebels who had been thrashed by the Auckland Blues last weekend. The Melbourne team were still missing the services of ace placekicker Reece Hodge and the Wellingtonians still without skipper Aardie Savea with Dan Coles captaining in his stead and Nani Laumape the tough irrepressible center back, in probably his last game of super rugby, as he has signed up with a French club.

The wind always blows in Wellington and the home team won the toss and chose to play into the wind for the first half and the visitors kicked off. A long opening sequence ended with a kickable penalty being awarded to the Hurricanes, but the touch option was chosen. The Melbourne team was defending well with the backs coming up together and tacking hard. The forwards even turned over the ball from two rucks effectively. The first scrum was six minutes into the game and the Melbourne pack did a much better job than the previous week, holding up well. A series of penalties were awarded to the ‘Canes as the Melbourne line was found offside for coming up too fast in their over-eagerness to rectify last week’s errors. All possible three pointers were disregarded as the Wellington boys had bigger things in mind. In the 14th minute referee Graham Cooper had enough and dished out a yellow card to the Rebels tight-head prop, (probably for the sins of his backs!) and this, of course, meant a one-man advantage to the ‘Canes for 10 minutes. Julian Savea playing on the wing, made an interception in the 19th minute and ran around 90 meters, and scored under the posts, absolutely against the run of play. The conversion was not a problem 7– 0 to the Hurricanes. Around two minutes later a penalty on the opposition 22, slightly left of the posts was taken, partly to eat up time until the teams were back to full strength and Matt Toomua the Melbourne skipper slotted it, taking the score to 7 – 3. In the 24th minute Nani Laumape who had been running hard at the opposition from no 12, finally broke through, offloaded beautifully to his scrum-half Billy Proctor who scored under the posts. Seven more points was a formality and the score read 14 – 3 to the Hurricanes. The Melbourne team was playing well stringing together 13 phases together and even winning a scrum penalty all to no avail. An almost certain three pointer was disregarded for touch but the Wellington defence which was found wanting last week, held its own and half-time was reached with no change in the score 14 -3.

The Melbourne Rebels scored first in the second half with their first try in this tournament coming from multiple phases and culminating in Michael Wells scoring far left. The Kick was missed, and the score read 14 – 8 the rebels were catching up and playing well. At this stage, Wes Goosen playing on the blindside wing for the Hurricanes beat nine defenders on the run and was brought up just short of the line. 54 minutes into the game ‘Canes half-back Proctor was back in the game with a great run ending with a pass to the Julian Savea (also known as the BUS) who powered his way with afterburners on, ran 20 meters along the touchline, and cut inside to score under the posts. Easy work for Jordie Barret to add the extra points, 21 – 8, and the Hurricanes looking ominous. The 59th minute saw the Rebels score another try far left Through Campbell Magney, but Matt Toomua’s kick smacked the left upright and didn’t go over; 21 – 13. In the 63rd minute, a kickable penalty was not taken by the Hurricanes with the touch option preferred. This was justified two minutes later with a perfectly weighted cross kick from Oban Ledger wearing the no10 jersey falling into the hands of his winger Wes Goosen who dotted down in the extreme left corner with consummate ease. Wes Goosen getting rewarded for his efforts and Oban Ledger succeeding in his second attempt at a cross-kick. His earlier attempt in the first half eluding the arms of Julian Savea on the right-wing. A great conversion by Jordie Barret saw the score proceed to 28 – 13 for the Hurricanes. In the 69th minute a kickable penalty was disregarded, and a quick tap taken by the Melbourne side and that hard-tackling tough winger, Marika Korabeti was stopped inches from the line by the Wellington defence. Two minutes later Wellington repeated the quick tap, and this time Laumape again scorched his way over 70 meters or so and passed to Asafu Omona who had come in off the bench to replace his skipper Dan Coles at hooker. Tackling this burly young hooker has been compared to “trying to tackle a cannonball” and so it was with the third try being scored and a bonus point achieved for the Hurricanes. Oban Ledger who had taken over the kicking duties now that Jordie Barret had completed his stint of duty was able to add the extra points and the full-time score read 35 – 13 to the hosts the Wellington Hurricanes.

Friday’s second game was in Perth with the Western Force who had lost by just one point due to a missed kick at goal to the Waikato Chiefs last week, hosting the Otago Highlanders. The experts were calling a win for the Force and the possibility of the first win for an Australian side in the tournament. Aaron Smith the captain of the Highlanders and the incumbent All Black halfback, was playing his 160th Super rugby game.

The Western Force kicked off and the opening lasted for almost five minutes and ended with the first scrum. Billy Harmon won a turnover penalty for the Highlanders and in the 11th minute, Aaron Smith jinked his way through a few defenders and found that great finisher Jonah Nareki waiting to support him and score under the posts. 7 – 0 to the ‘Landers. A basic mistake from Domingo Miotti the Argentinian international playing for the Western Force shortly thereafter, saw the ball being kicked out to touch after it had been carried back into the 22. The Highlanders regained the territory and in the 21st minute won themselves a kickable penalty off a scrum. The possible three points were disregarded, and loosehead prop Aden Johnston powered his way over the line scoring far left. Mitch Hunt playing at no10 for the Highlanders missed the kick and the score progressed to 12 – 0. The Force earned themselves a scrum penalty in the 27th minute and Miotti made short work of it taking the score to 12 – 3. In the 30th minute, the ‘Landers regained the three points with the Force conceding a defensive penalty right in front of their posts, 15 – 3. We were into the phase of play when an interesting statistic showed that the Highlanders had scored 11 tries; that was between the 20th minute and half time of a game. Aaron Smith decided to oblige, initiating a break away from a maul with perfect timing and sending Scott Gregory (ponytail and all) over the line scoring mid-right. Smith called for the ball when he spotted a gap in front of Gregory and passed directly to him making the job easy. Hunt missed the kick rather uncharacteristically and the score read 20 – 3. Two minutes from halftime Kubelli playing on the wing for the Western Force scored under the posts and after checking for an earlier knock-on the try was awarded. Seven points were not a problem and the halftime score read 20 – 10.

The second half began with both teams disregarding kickable penalties for territory and the plan to go for tries pretty evident. The Highlanders defended grimly and determinedly as is the penchant of hardworking Kiwi sides and managed to keep their line uncrossed. Shannon Frazelle ,who is always at the forefront in the no seven jersey won a defensive penalty for his team and saved the day. In the 59th minute, Greg Holmes of the Western Force was yellow-carded for a high tackle and one minute later the Highlanders scored. It was Aaron Smith again who passed perfectly to his outside backs and enable Scott Gregory to go over for his second try in the extreme left corner. The kick proved too hard for Mitch Hunt who was looking a bit shaky having made some rather basic and unforced errors earlier in the game. 25 – 10 to the Highlanders and a Bonus point insight. It was not to be, however, with the Force managing to score another try through their substitute prop Wagner who went over mid-right after a series of penalties conceded by the Highlanders. The conversion was missed but the Bonus point was forfeited and the final score read 25 – 15 to the Otago Highlanders.

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