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Hurricanes hold off Waratahs

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Du'Plessis Kirifi celebrates

The Hurricanes scored a late converted try to beat the Waratahs 20-19 in northern Sydney on Saturday. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.

The Canes had trailed for all but one minute of this match when replacement flank Du’Plessis Kirifi went over for a 75th-minute try, which fullback Jordie Barrett converted.


There was more drama to come, though, as a big Waratahs scrum gave flyhalf Bernard Foley, who had been successful with all five of his previous goal kicks, a relatively simple chance to win it for the hosts. Incredibly, though, the ball went past the left-hand upright.

A couple of penalties in stoppage time gave the Tahs one last opportunity to attack, but a botched lineout in the 84th minute was followed by the final whistle.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson will be desperately disappointed with this result and his Hurricanes counterpart John Plumtree extremely relieved.

The Tahs made a strong start to the game in front of 17,000 fans at Brookvale Oval and were awarded a penalty that Foley sent between the uprights. That saw him overtake Matt Burke (959) as the Tahs’ all-time leading point-scorer.

Barrett levelled the scores with his first shot at goal, before two more strikes from Foley made it 9-3 after 15 minutes.

The Hurricanes’ ill-discipline continued to let them down in the first quarter, and after conceding a sixth penalty they were given a team warning by the referee. This time, the Tahs kicked for the corner and while they were awarded a 5m scrum, a big shove by the Canes won them a pressure-relieving penalty.

The visitors should have scored the opening try of the match in the 28th minute. Barrett broke away from halfway, getting past Adam Ashley-Cooper, and found Fletcher Smith on his inside. But the flyhalf’s pass to Wes Goosen on the right wing was knocked on with the tryline in sight.

By now, the Hurricanes were dominating the game, and three penalties in quick succession saw Waratahs captain Michael Hooper get a talking to from the referee. The Canes kicked for the corner, won the lineout and 10 phases later, Ardie Savea barged his way over for a converted try.

The Tahs regained the lead seconds after the restart, though, with Foley slotting his fourth penalty to make it 12-10 at the break.

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The Hurricanes were quick out of the blocks in the second half, with a break from Smith resulting in TJ Perenara being brought down inside the Tahs’ 22. But the Canes then conceded a penalty and a minute later, Israel Folau put Curtis Rona away for a try in the left-hand corner. Foley nailed the touchline conversion.


Barrett’s second penalty narrowed the gap to six points and, in the 67th minute, Savea appeared to be driven over for his second try. However, replays showed that Kirifi, who had only just come onto the field, had put an elbow into Hooper’s face and the Tahs were awarded a penalty.

The Canes surged back onto the attack soon after, but this time Hooper match a try-saving tackle on Ben Lam in the left-hand corner.

Eventually, though, the pressure told when Kirifi broke away from a lineout driving maul to score a converted try that proved to be the match-winner.

Waratahs – Try: Israel Folau. Conversion: Bernard Foley. Penalties: Foley (4).
Hurricanes – Tries: Ardie Savea, Du’Plessis Kirifi. Conversions: Jordie Barrett (2). Penalties: Barrett (2).

Waratahs – 15 Israel Folau, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 11 Curtis Rona, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes.
Subs: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Rory O’Connor, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Lachlan Swinton, 20 Will Miller, 21 Mitch Short, 22 Mack Mason, 23 Cam Clark.

Hurricanes – 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Fletcher Smith, 9 TJ Perenara (c), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Liam Mitchell, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Chris Eves.
Subs: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Ben May, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 James Marshall, 23 Billy Proctor.

Photo: Jason McCawley/Getty Images