Jordie Barrett’s late penalty yesterday set up a dramatic 27-24 Super Rugby victory for the Wellington Hurricanes over the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton, New Zealand.
The two rivals scored three tries apiece, but Barrett’s kick in the 83rd minute proved decisive, stunning former Wales coach Warren Gatland’s Chiefs.
It came after a marathon 36-phase effort from the Hurricanes in the game’s final moments, when the scores were locked 24-24.
“We’re pretty disappointed,” Chiefs captain Sam Cane said.
Hurricanes captain Dane Coles said that the Wellington team had been chasing a victory in Hamilton for a long time.
“We’ve been coming here since 2009 and it’s my first win against the Chiefs here, which makes me bloody happy,” he said.
The Hurricanes made the early running and were rewarded in the ninth minute when Ben Lam crossed after a free-flowing backline move in which the ball passed through five pairs of hands.
Lachlan Boshier muscled his way over the line for the Chiefs, but Hurricanes flyhalf Fletcher Smith found a defensive gap to put the visitors ahead 10-14 at halftime.
Both sides came close after the restart, but it was Chiefs center Tumua Manu who broke through before Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara was sin-binned for a high tackle. Shaun Stevenson added another for the hosts, lifting their lead to 24-14.
A penalty and an Asafo Aumua try from a lineout drive leveled the scores at 24-24, setting up the blockbuster finale which Barrett decided with his late kick.
SIX NATIONS
Wales’ final Six Nations match with Scotland is to go ahead with spectators permitted to attend despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced yesterday.
Their decision comes despite the other two games — France at home to Ireland and Italy hosting England — having been postponed due to the outbreak.
English Premier League chiefs on Friday suspended all matches through April 3, after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for the virus.
However, the WRU is to follow the lead of horse racing authorities — whose showpiece event of the National Hunt season, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was due to go ahead later yesterday — and government advice.
“Throughout, the WRU Board have followed the scientific advice of government, Public Health Wales and medical experts and determined that any game would be held or postponed based on that advice,” the WRU statement read.
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