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'That was challenging': Hurricanes go joint-top with win over Highlanders
By AAP
Winger Salesi Rayasi has scored two tries for the Hurricanes in their 29-14 Super Rugby Pacific win over the Highlanders to take them joint-top with the Chiefs.
It was 8-7 to the visitors after a drab first half on Saturday in Dunedin, full of errors by both teams and interventions by the referee.
Rayasi scored the game's first try in the 14th minute after the Hurricanes had attacked through 16 phases, finally creating space for the big winger.
The Highlanders replied with a try to No.8 Hugh Renton who detached from a five-metre scrum and strolled over. A penalty to Jordie Barrett separated the teams at the break.
The Canes managed to score two quick tries at the start of the second half.
Lock Jamie Blackwell got their second after good lead-up work by centre Billy Proctor and halfback Cam Roigard.
Roigard scored himself three minutes later and the Hurricanes had the comfort of a 22-7 lead, which became 29-7 when Rayasi crossed for his second after a good break by replacement No.9 Jamie Booth.
The hosts had the final say with a 75th-minute try to captain Billy Harmon but it wasn't enough to stop the Hurricanes winning their sixth in seven matches this season.
"That was challenging, it was tough and we had to go to the well," Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea said.
"That first half was tough and I was just proud of the boys to come back in the second half and really nail the simple things and get it done."
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This is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
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