Relive 1 NEWS' live updates of this evening's Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and Sharks in Wellington.
FT: HUR 38-22 SHA
Sharks get one last chance to go for a bonus point with a lineout 5m from the Hurricanes line. The Hurricanes line holds firm for four minutes of injury time and they finally work a turnover to end it.
Easily the Hurricanes' best performance so far after a tough road trip to open 2020. They looked back to their attacking best and the backline, led by Perenara and Barrett, were dangerous all night. Sharks just couldn't keep up in the end and got run off the park. Ben Lam;s double probably sealed the result - could that be the start of another big season for him too, perhaps?
That's it for the second of three Kiwi Super Rugby games tonight. Stick around our website for the Brumbies hosting the Highlanders shortly.
77min: HUR 38-22 SHA
The game really grinds to a halt as discipline breaks down now and there's plenty of jersey-grabbing going on. It amounts to nothing though as the clock keeps on ticking to the inevitable.
75min: HUR 38-22 SHA
Game starting to slow down now with handling errors creeping in to the game - mostly from the Sharks who are in desperation mode and can't quite make the close plays stick. Hurricanes with another scrum 10m from halfway as the clock ticks down.
72min: HUR 38-22 SHA
Sharks were looking at another attack but Fassi bumbles his long pass to the left wing. That may do it here. Hurricanes scrum on halfway.
69min: HUR 38-22 SHA
SHA TRY! Much like the first half, the Sharks bite back with a try of their own. They get the ball after the Hurricanes cough up the ball at the top of the lineout. Sharks recover it and Majola goes in to score on the left wing.
66min: HUR 38-17 SHA
HUR TRY! Dane Coles is on the field and on the board! Hurricanes kick for the corner off a penalty and get a 5m lineout. After that, it's a simple rolling maul with Coles - possibly his first touch of the ball this season - at the back and he takes it in to score. Welcome back to the game, Colesy!
62min: HUR 31-17 SHA
Sharks can't convert as all their pace and and passes lead to nothing more than a knock on. Perenara done for the night.
59min: HUR 31-17 SHA
Sharks with a big opportunity here after they earn a penalty and kick for the corner. 5m lineout coming up.
56min: HUR 31-17 SHA
Sharks try to respond to Lam's double but the final pass can't stick. No advantage from the knock on so it's a Hurricanes scrum inside their 22m.
52min: HUR 31-17 SHA
HUR TRY! Ben Lam has a double! Hurricanes get the ball back after the Sharks' 22m dropout and soon after go for another cross kick on half time. This time it's Lam who rises for the ball and he wins the contest! He streaks down the left wing with work to do. Sharks off the first defender, gets anke tapped 10m out but has enough momentum to slide the rest of the way.
50min: HUR 24-17 SHA
Jordie Barrett tries to respond with a penalty of his own but he's missed it to the right too... He's probably got a free pass though because his was a 55m attempt, not 25m.
47min: HUR 24-17 SHA
Sharks get a chance to instantly reply after the Hurricanes are penalised for being offside from their kicker. Sharks look for the three on offer but it's hooked to the right.
45min: HUR 24-17 SHA
HUR TRY! BEN LAM WITH A STUNNER! Hurricanes are forced to restart their attack after losing the ball but a poor kick gives them a perfect counterattacking platform on halfway. Barrett gives it to Lam, he steps inside his man, brushes off a second and blitzes away 40m to score. What a play.
43min: HUR 17-17 SHA
Hurricanes get the first real chance of the half early after a penalty allows them to kick for the corner. 5m lineout coming up.
40min: HUR 17-17 SHA
Sharks get us going again.
HT: HUR 17-17 SHA
The hooter goes and the half wraps up with a bit of a bit jersey-grabbing but there's nothing in it. Cracking first half from both sides and you'd say this is a fair scoreboard for it. Hurricanes dominated the opening but the Sharks swung it back their way with both teams then wrestling in the final minutes. This could go down to the wire but could losing the likes of Perenara and Barrett to resting protocols cost the Canes? Stick around, we'll find out!
37min: HUR 17-17 SHA
Sharks will have one last chance here with a scrum 40m from the Hurricanes line smack-bang in the middle of the pitch after a knock on.
34min: HUR 17-17 SHA
SHA THREE! Hurricanes clear to give the Sharks a lineout just outside the 22m. Sharks win the lineout and set a maul and that earns them a penalty as the Hurricanes are penalised for entering on the side of it. Sharks take the three on offer and we're all tied up.
31min: HUR 17-14 SHA
Now the Sharks are back on attack! They storm inside the Hurricanes' 22m on the left wing. Shift it back to the right to get within 10m. Then it comes back to the left wing and Esterhuizen goes for the line. Barrett bundles him into touch inches short though so it's a Hurricanes lineout 5m from their own line but boy is this an electic game so far!
29min: HUR 17-14 SHA
HUR TRY! Hurricanes take the lead back! Jordie Barrett catches the Sharks offguard with a crossfield kick shortly after the kickoff and he's got Laumape in his sights. Tambwe backs himself to win the aerial game and fully commits to his leap but he's misread the flight path and Laumape gets it with no one around him! He sprints down the left wing with just the full back to beat, shimmies, shakes and steps past him with ease. Dives in to score a superb try.
25min: HUR 10-14 SHA
SHA TRY! And the Sharks bite right back! Another break down that right wing gets them deep inside the Hurricanes 22m. They recycle the ball with some composure and bring it back to the middle of the field. Metres out and they come back to the right. One metre short. Paul gets it off the ruck and barges over to score. Sharks back in front.
22min: HUR 10-7 SHA
HUR TRY! And after the longest four minutes of scrum resets, the Hurricanes finally get the ball out clean and Goosen gets to score. Simple backline move sees Barrett enter the line to draw the Sharks in and he responds with a big skip pass to Goosen on the right wing he runs it in to score untouched. Barrett nails the extras with ease.
18min: HUR 3-7 SHA
Hurricanes draw out another two penalties and that'll prompt a chat from the ref. As ref goes over to talk to the Sharks captain, he delivers a zinger to Perenara who wants a quick word too. "No, no, you already yell at me enough." How good? Anyway, Perenara [when he's allowed to talk] opts for a 5m scrum with this latest penalty.
15min: HUR 3-7 SHA
Hurricanes almost instantly handed another chance here as the Sharks are penalised for being offside from their kicker in the chase. Interestingly, captain Perenara opts for the scrum where it was kicked so they'll feed it just inside the Sharks' 22m.
13min: HUR 3-7 SHA
SHA TRY! No arguing this one! Hurricanes go for a skip pass in the midfield 10m from the line but Am reads it perfectly for an intercept! He streaks away over the halfway line with Lam giving chase. Lam reaches him but he's got support in Tambwe and he runs it in to score. What a start!
12min: HUR 3-0 SHA
Hurricanes with a chance to score hear after a penalty gets them a lineout inside the Sharks' 22m.
9min: HUR 3-0 SHA
SHA NO TRY! The Sharks respond with a brilliant try only for the TMO to intervine and force a reversed decision! They make a break down the right wing on a marginal pass from Faasi and get inside the Hurricanes' 22m. They bring it back to the middle of the field and it's prop Nche that makes the run under the posts of all people. Try awarded, Sharks lining up for the conversion then the TMO comes in and says review Faasi's pass. Sure enough, it's forward and that leads to the ref having to cancel his initial call. Jeez, where was this in '07?
7min: HUR 3-0 SHA
HUR THREE! Hurricanes jump out to the early lead after the Sharks are penalised moments after the lineout for going off their feet at the breakdown. Barrett steps up from 25m out to the left of the posts and nails it.
5min: HUR 0-0 SHA
Hurricanes get a break with Barrett in the midfield after a quick-tapped short-arm penalty at the scrum. Barrett gets back into the field and it comes down to the right wing where Aumua is waiting. 5m out. It comes back left now and Laumape looks for a massive skip pass to the left wing but it sails into touch. Still a lively start for the hosts though. Sharks lineout just inside their 22m.
3min: HUR 0-0 SHA
Couple of handling errors from the Sharks early on but they're attacking the Hurricanes early. This second error has no advantage on it though so we come back for a scrum inside the Hurricanes' half, 15m from halfway.
KICKOFF
The Hurricanes get us going in windy Welly.
PREVIEW
The Hurricanes are back in NZ for their first home game of the 2020 season after a mixed tour of South Africa and Argentina to start 2020.
After their big loss to the Stormers in the opening round, the Hurricanes clawed their way back to a last-gasp win against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires last week.
Now, they have to travel all the way back to New Zealand to take on a high-flying Sharks team who has ironically been in the country longer than them, having dismantled the Highlanders in Dunedin last week to begin their season unbeaten with a 2-0 record.
The Hurricanes are pull out all the stops though with All Blacks Jordie Barrett, Ngani Laumape and TJ Perenara all named to start. Dane Coles is also set to play off the bench as Asafo Aumua's replacement later in the match.
TEAMS
Hurricanes: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 TJ Perenara (c), 8 Reed Prinsep, 7 Gareth Evans, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Scott Scrafton, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Fraser Armstrong
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Alex Fidow, 19 Liam Mitchell, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Billy Proctor
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Sikumbuzo Notshe, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 James Venter, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Phepsi Buthelezi, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Jeremy Ward
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