Hurricanes 41-22 Stormers: Defending champions extend home winning streak

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Another Barrett masterclass from brothers Jordie and Beauden kept up the Hurricanes' stunning form

The Hurricanes scored seven tries, including four from Beauden Barrett crosskicks, to beat the Stormers 41-22 on Friday.

Barrett set up tries for wingers Corey Jane, Julian Savea, and his brother, full-back Jordie Barrett, with pinpoint kicks, then scored the Hurricanes' last try two minutes after the final hooter to keep up the defending champions' average of seven tries per game.

The Hurricanes were expected to win comfortably after the Stormers were beaten 57-24 by the Crusaders and 57-14 by the Highlanders in their last two matches in New Zealand.

But the Cape Town-based Stormers were on terms with the Hurricanes at 22-22 after 64 minutes, and the home team needed two late tries to centre Ngani Leaumape and Barrett's final score to win the match comfortably.

The Stormers' forwards were too strong for their rivals, who have become accustomed to their brilliant backs producing the tries that have won eight of their nine matches. While they were one-dimensional, the Stormers dominated the Hurricanes at scrums and especially through rolling mauls, making the game much closer than was expected.

"They came out and had a point to prove tonight," Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara said. "They got a lot of unjust press for their last couple of performances. They frustrated us a little bit."

Jordie Barrett scores a try against the Stormers

The Hurricanes seemed on track for a comfortable win when, after the Stormers took the lead with an early penalty to Robert du Preez, Beauden Barrett put in a perfectly weighted crosskick and Jane dashed in off his right wing to score.

Jordie Barrett then scored the first of his two tries when he captured Stormers back rower Nizaam Carr in the in-goal area and stripped the ball from him to score. Savea and Jordie Barrett then scored from further Beauden Barrett kicks, swelling the lead to 22-10 on either side of a try from a rolling maul by Ramone Samuels.

A long series of penalties against the Hurricanes allowed the Stormers to cut the lead to 22-16 by half-time, then draw level at 22-22 in the second half.

But Leaumape scored the first of his two tries from a tapped penalty by Perenara and the second from a Barrett crosskick which freed Savea down the left wing.

Beauden Barrett scored the last try to make the win convincing and continue the Hurricanes' 11-match winning streak at home.