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Super Rugby round-up: Hurricanes extend streak; Rebels back to winning ways

Friday 10 May 2019 22:27, UK

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 10: Beauden Barrett of the Hurricanes breaks away to score a try during the round 13 Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Hurricanes at Eden Park on May 10, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Image: Beauden Barrett breaks away to score for the Hurricanes

A review of Friday’s Super Rugby action as the Hurricanes extended their winning run and the Rebels had the edge over the Reds.

Blues 12-22 Hurricanes

Beauden Barrett was the star of the show for the Hurricanes as they recorded their fifth successive victory with this success against the Blues at Eden Park.

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Fly-half Barrett scored two tries, kicked two conversions and landed a penalty as the Wellington franchise closed the gap on New Zealand conferences leaders the Crusaders to two points.

It was the hosts who took the lead after 10 minutes with a try from Sam Nock, converted by Harry Plummer, but the Hurricanes were in control by half-time thanks to converted scores from Ben Lam and Barrett.

Dalton Papali'i pulled an unconverted try back for the Blues on the hour, yet Barrett's second score seven minutes later and a penalty kick five minutes from time made certain of the win for the Hurricanes.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 10: James Parsons of the Blues looks on from the bench during the round 13 Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Hurricanes at Eden Park on May 10, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Image: James Parsons' 100th appearance for the Blues ended in defeat

The match also marked James Parsons' 100th appearance for the Blues.

Bulls 13-45 Crusaders

Wing Sevu Reece scored a hat-trick of tries as the Canterbury Crusaders made light work of the Bulls with a comprehensive 45-13 Super Rugby victory at Loftus Versfeld.

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The defending champions ran in seven tries, were incisive on attack, and preyed on the numerous errors and soft tackling of the home side.

Flyhalf Richie Mo'unga bagged a brace of tries, and was masterful in steering the Crusaders attack, to go with scores from locks Mitchell Dunshea and Scott Barrett.

The Crusaders' hat-trick hero Sevu Reece slips through a tackle
Image: The Crusaders' hat-trick hero Sevu Reece slips through a tackle

Centre Burger Odendaal crossed for the lone try for the Bulls, who went into the weekend on top of the South African Conference and now face a four-match tour of Australasia.

"We had a good week's preparation here and had a good plan going into the game. It's always pleasing when you can execute that in the game," Crusaders captain Matt Todd said at the post-match presentation.

"We knew we were going to hurt out there, but at crucial times we were able to get points and our defence was pretty good too. Our plan coming in was to push ourselves and play at pace, so credit to the boys."

Rebels 30-24 Reds

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Watch three of the best tries from the Rebels' 30-24 victory over the Reds in Melbourne.

The Rebels brought a three-game losing run to an end as they overcame the Reds and went four points clear at the top of the Australian conference.

Tries from Marika Koroibete and Anaru Rangi, both converted by Quade Cooper, put the home side into a 14-11 lead at half-time. The Reds' response came from an unconverted try by Isaac Lucas and two penalty kicks by Bryce Hegarty.

Tetera Faulkner and Ross Haylett-Petty both went over within the first 11 minutes of the second half to secure the try-scoring bonus point for the Rebels, followed by Reece Hodge kicking two penalties to seal the win.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 10: Marika Koroibete of the Rebels scores the first try during the round 13 Super Rugby match between the Rebels and the Reds at AMI Park on May 10, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Image: Marika Koroibete scores the Rebels' first try against the Reds

But a try from Harry Hoopert, plus a conversion and two more penalties from the boot of Hegarty, earned the Reds a losing bonus point.

Rebels and Rebels in post-match prayer

Melbourne Rebels and the Queensland Reds huddled for a post-match prayer on Friday amid reports of anger among the game's Christians over the handling of the Israel Folau social media furore.

Wallabies fullback Folau, a fundamentalist Christian, moved a step closer to being sacked by Rugby Australia (RA) this week after he was found to have committed a "high-level" code of conduct breach for a post that said hell awaited "drunks, homosexuals, adulterers" and others.

The case has upset a number of Folau's Wallabies team mates who share his religious beliefs, with Reds prop Taniela Tupou writing that RA "might as well sack... all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world."

Sydney newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported earlier on Friday that Reds and Rebels players had proposed to gather for prayer on field at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in a "show of solidarity" for Folau.

Following the Rebels' 30-24 win over the Reds, players from both sides knelt on the pitch with arms locked in a circle as Reds hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa addressed the group with emotion.

The huddle included a number of Australia players, including Queensland captain Samu Kerevi, his Reds team mate Sefa Naivalu and another Wallabies winger in Melbourne's Marika Koroibete.

Folau faced a three-member panel over three days of hearings. The panel issued its verdict on Tuesday and said it would consider further submissions before issuing a sanction.

The judgement came more than three weeks after RA and Folau's Super Rugby club New South Wales Waratahs said they intended to terminate his four-year contract.

Folau has a right to appeal but a high-level breach would be sufficient for RA and the Waratahs to dismiss the 73-test back.

Folau's trial has stretched far beyond the rugby pitch, triggering a wider debate in Australia about freedom of speech and the power of employers to control their employees away from the workplace.

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