Sun, Apr 26, 2009 page20

• SUPER 14: Four-try blitz blows away the Brumbies at Westpac Stadium

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  Reuters, WELLINGTON

  A first-half four-try blitz propelled the Wellington Hurricanes to a 56-7 victory at the Westpac Stadium over the ACT Brumbies and temporarily took them to the top of the Super 14 standings yesterday.

  After commemorating Anzac Day with the match ball being delivered by an Air Force helicopter and an artillery gun firing two ceremonial shots into the cool Wellington night sky, the Hurricanes recovered from an early try to Brumbies prop Ben Alexander to blow the Australian team away.

  

  Zac Guildford of the Hurricanes, left, beats an attempted tackle from James Stannard of the Brumbies to score a try during their Super 14 match in Wellington yesterday.

  PHOTO: REUTERS

  Fullback Cory Jane, center Conrad Smith and wingers Tamati Ellison and David Smith all scored within the first 30 minutes to give the home side a bonus point before the break.

  The Hurricanes moved to the head of the table with 34 points.

  It took the Hurricanes 15 minutes to add to their score in the second half, with flyhalf Willie Ripia slotting his second penalty before the Wellington-based side cut loose in the final 25 minutes.

  Replacement winger Zac Guildford scored two tries, the second from an audacious training-park move when Ripia drew the defenders across field and produced a behind-the-back flip-pass to David Smith who burst through and fed the unmarked Guildford.

  Loose forwards Faifili Levave and Victor Vito also scored for the home side, who completely outplayed the Brumbies throughout the match.

  Ripia hit five conversions and two penalties.

  ■REDS 31, BLUES 24

  REUTERS, WELLINGTON

  The lights dimmed on the Auckland Blues’ Super 14 campaign when they were beaten 31-24 by the Queensland Reds yesterday in a match interrupted by a blackout at North Harbour Stadium in Albany.

  A power failure at an electricity substation caused the lights on two of the four lighting towers at the stadium to go out in the third minute and it was 45 minutes before play resumed.

  The Blues appeared to be suffering from a lack of spark after the enforced break and the Reds quickly charged into an imposing lead on the back of tries from Berrick Barnes and James Horwill.

  Barnes converted both to add to his penalty from before the lighting failed, giving the visitors a 17-0 advantage.

  The Blues had almost 60 percent possession in the first spell, but poor options taken by halfbacks Tasesa Lavea and Taniela Moa left them pinned inside their own half and they only got on the board a minute before the break when Isaia Toeava barreled over.

  The Reds extended their lead to 31-5 after 10 minutes of the second half courtesy of tries from center Digby Ioane and replacement winger Charlie Fetoai, both of which Barnes converted.

  The Blues rallied in the final 30 minutes to score tries through replacement loose forward Peter Saili and lock Kurtis Haiu, before Jimmy Gopperth, who had replaced Lavea at halftime, crossed in stoppage-time.

  Gopperth added two conversions to give the Blues a second bonus point for a tally of 30 points for the season, good enough to temporarily move them into third.
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