Canes down wasteful Waraths
2 Jun 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on a 33-12 victory for the Hurricanes over the Waratahs who will rue an imprecise showing.
Heavy showers pre-match and a steady stream of the stuff throughout the contest ensured this was going to be a scrappy affair. The Canes have of course developed the pragmatic side of their game well under coach Mark Hammett, and while they aren’t a refined side in this regard, their game breaking ability when presented with opportunities in general play and broken field compensated for what they lacked here.
The Tahs will lament their lack of cutting edge in scoring positions. On numerous occasions they drove into the Canes’ 22m only to take poor options or execute the correct ones poorly. The Canes aren’t exempt from criticism in this regard, but they always gave you the sense that they were more capable of crossing the whitewash when they needed to.
Naturally handling was a perilous task and as a result the match had little flow or tempo to speak of. Discipline also suffered, particularly at the breakdown, where contesters and cleaners alike struggled to keep their footing. Berrick Barnes and Beauden Barrett traded penalties for 30 minutes before the Canes showed the clinical finishing that accounts for them leading the tournament in tries scored – Julian Savea rounding off a backline move. Barrett converted from the touchline for a 13-9 half-time lead.
Barnes cut the deficit to one shortly after the restart, but the Tahs’ wastefulness persisted, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Dave Dennis coughing up the ball in good positions within two minutes of each other. Their coaching staff must have been pulling their hair out. They had bossed territory and possession and should have been ahead.
Some credit must go to the Canes’ defence , which has let them down at critical times this season. Given how they were pinned in their territory, their primary challenges were the sustainability of that defensive showing and finding a means of alleviating that pressure by retaining possession for an extended period in Tahs territory.
They did just that, absorbing another wave of attack before making their way into the Tahs’ 22m and finishing through Motu Matu’u after some sublime ball skills in the build up. Two chances, two scores. The Tahs looked deflated but they had only themselves to blame for their predicament. Shortly thereafter the Canes effectively sealed the result when a long pass found Conrad Smith unmarked in a wide channel.
The four-try bonus point the Canes so desperately needed came in the final move of the match and keeps them in the hunt for a play-off spot. The Tahs’ ambitions in this regard have long been over and this performance confirms why.
36 Comments
2 Jun 2012, 11:24 am
Dragons ROAR!
2 Jun 2012, 11:41 am
go bryce!
2 Jun 2012, 11:41 am
High scoring weekend!
2 Jun 2012, 11:42 am
@RL(RL)-1:
Howzit Lion Loser
2 Jun 2012, 11:43 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-2:
Does this mean the Hurrianes will win?
2 Jun 2012, 11:43 am
St George?
I think that the Canes may blow the Wallies away.
2 Jun 2012, 11:48 am
I believe that the Wallies have increased the number of Australians in its squad by 100% this year. The squad now has two?
2 Jun 2012, 11:48 am
It woiul;d be nice if there were were a few Aussies in the Wannabes.
2 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-4: Leeusers are going to surprise the guppies.
2 Jun 2012, 11:53 am
@AiDoc(AiDoc)-8:
Did you see the filth in the previous game?
* Tip tackles
* Punches
* Head high shoulder charges
Real class these kiwis!
2 Jun 2012, 11:59 am
Bryce Lawrence reffing. Already made one bad call. Plenty more to come, guarenteed!
2 Jun 2012, 12:10 pm
not sure if I can take much more of this waratahs rugby… I might go do something marginally more exciting like boil some water
2 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
Mr Black
Jealous?
2 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
Attendance is diabolical
2 Jun 2012, 12:13 pm
Mr Black
As they say in Shenzhen, “Winners are glinners”
2 Jun 2012, 12:14 pm
TRY? That replay was inconclusive. What’s happening to rugby?
2 Jun 2012, 12:28 pm
Hahahah, do something more exciting like Boil water
That Blues Chiefs game made my weekend I tell you
2 Jun 2012, 13:09 pm
canes doing well here, taking their opportunities…
2 Jun 2012, 13:12 pm
@viewer(viewer)-14: The Tahs have been bad all season and it’s pissing down
2 Jun 2012, 13:18 pm
Not worth watching
2 Jun 2012, 13:20 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-20:
Big girls do cry.
2 Jun 2012, 13:20 pm
well done Hammo!
2 Jun 2012, 13:21 pm
Canes remain contenders — outside chance, but still.
2 Jun 2012, 13:21 pm
Waratahs are awfull.
2 Jun 2012, 13:21 pm
Good game, my teams still in it lol.
Supposedly the wooden spooners according to the Keo posters here with there crystal balls.
Hurricanes are here to surprise, good game
2 Jun 2012, 13:22 pm
The rain will mess up all those lovely locks in the Worried Tarts’ s backline. THey need to reach into their socks for their combs
2 Jun 2012, 13:22 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-23:
Can they beat the Crusaders and Chiefs?
2 Jun 2012, 13:24 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-27:
Probably not Saders but good chance against the Chiefs
2 Jun 2012, 13:25 pm
All i need now is the lions to win and Stormers then boy the Canes looking good.
2 Jun 2012, 13:26 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-27: Yes and yes. But they had better bring along their A game.
2 Jun 2012, 13:28 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-28:
Got a feeling the crusaders gonna take the Nz conference.
2 Jun 2012, 13:29 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-31:
Yeah they are looking good at the right time.
But then there is this break for a month, this could be interesting.
2 Jun 2012, 13:31 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-32:
New territory.
2 Jun 2012, 15:56 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-10: More class than your average biting ,head butting, roid ingesting prickbok
2 Jun 2012, 16:46 pm
worse waratah season in history
3 Jun 2012, 11:49 am
@RL(RL)-9:
You got that right RL.
You got that right.
8)
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