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SUPER14: Hurricanes come from behind to frustrate Reds

Former All Black Ma'a Nonu scored a 58th-minute, counter-attacking try to help the Wellington Hurricanes come from behind to beat the Queensland Reds 23-18 in a Super 14 rugby match yesterday.

The Reds led 10-0 in the first half and 13-10 at halftime but the Hurricanes scored 13 points to five in the second half to post their first win in two matches this season. Both teams have a 1-1 record.

Flyhalf Jimmy Gopperth kicked two conversions and three penalties -- five goals from six attempts -- for 13 points to pass 300 points in Super 14 rugby to secure the win for the Hurricanes.

Nonu was the home team's most dangerous player and was rewarded for an enterprising game with his gamebreaking try. The Hurricanes won a turnover on their own 22m line and Piri Weepu linked with Gopperth to start a counter-attack which ranged 80m.

Flanker Chris Masoe continued the movement with a powerful run and returned the ball to Gopperth, who drew the last of the Reds' fragmented defense before turning the ball infield to Nonu, who scored.

Gopperth's conversion gave the Hurricanes a 20-13 lead and a further penalty put them out to a 10-point lead. The Reds hit back with a try to captain John Roe three minutes from time before they could not score again.

The Hurricanes' play in the first half was riddled with the sort of errors which contributed to their 20-3 first-round loss to the New South Wales Waratahs. They had turned the ball over more than 20 times by halftime but settled down to play more precise and structured rugby after the break.

"We weren't all that bad in the first half but we made a few mistakes," captain Rodney So'oialo said. "We certainly came back in the second half, rectified and fixed that. We didn't want to stop the boys playing the sort of game they're good at and it came off for us in the end."

The Reds dominated the first half, feeding on Hurricanes errors and playing a simpler and more accurate game.

They were able to split the Hurricanes' interior defense with inside passes and, from one such move, set up lock Van Humphries for their opening try. They first stretched the Hurricanes defense with strong, combined running and the powerful lock bullocked through three weak, tight forward tackles to score.

Clinton Schifcofske kicked a penalty and conversion to give the Reds a 10-0 lead after 15 minutes. The Hurricanes hit back with a try against the run of play to center Tane Tuipulotu. A Gopperth clearing kick missed touch but winger Hosea Gear took the ball out of the hands of his opposite Digby Ioane and turned it infield to Tuipulotu who scored.

Schifcofske's second penalty put the Reds ahead at the interval.

Gopperth tied the scores with a 55th-minute penalty and Nonu's superb try gave the Hurricanes a winning advantage.

"We played a very good 40 minutes but didn't play 80 minutes," said Roe, who is likely to play his 100th match for the Reds next week. "You can't give the Hurricanes chances like we did in the second half because they'll take them every time."

Score:

Wellington 23 (Tane Tuipulotu, Ma'a Nonu tries; Jimmy Gopperth 2 conversions, 3 penalties), Queensland 18 (Van Humpries, John Roe tries; Clinton Schifcofske conversion, 2 penalties), halftime score 10-13.
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