Former All Blacks winger Julian Savea yesterday scored two tries in a losing cause to join former NSW Waratahs player Israel Folau as the all-time top try-scorer across Super Rugby competitions as the Wellington Hurricanes were beaten 27-24 by the Fijian Drua in Round 11 in Suva.
The Drua almost exactly repeated their giant-killing 25-24 win over defending champions the Canterbury Crusaders in Lautoka in Round 3 to emphasize how difficult they are to beat in Fiji.
Once again replacement Kemu Valetini kicked the winning points for the Drua, just as he did against the Crusaders. He first leveled the scores with a penalty in the 76th minute, then put the Drua ahead a minute before fulltime.
Photo: AFP
“It’s good to be back in the winner’s circle,” Drua captain Tevita Ikaniveri said. “We’re fighting for a place in the quarter-finals and we have to make the best of these home games.”
Savea took his tally of tries to 60 in 150 matches, drawing equal at that tally with Folau, who now plays in Japan. With a try in each half, Savea tried to lift the Hurricanes, who were under pressue throughout the match and produced a tepid performance in hot conditions.
Savea played on the right wing and was matched by his Drua opposite, Taniela Rakuro, who also scored a try in each half.
Photo: AFP
“We always knew it was going to be tough and we just weren’t good enough,” Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea said. “The Drua came out and played for the whole 80 [minutes] and put us under a lot of pressure. They capitalized on their chances and it was hard to defend.”
The first half was fast-paced, but low scoring and the Drua mostly had the upper hand. From the first breakdown, Drua scrumhalf Frank Lomani shaped to kick, then passed to send Rakuro away at a gallop down the left touchline.
That set the tone of the match. Lomani was a massive figure, marshaling the Drua attack and should have scored himself just before halftime, but lost the ball as he stretched to place it over the goalline.
In spite of the enterprise, points came slowly. Lomani missed an early penalty, but the Drua set the local crowd alight in the 18th minute when Rakuro crossed on the blindside from a Lomani pass.
The Hurricanes finally got some possession and go forward in the 30th minute and quick hands made a try for Julian Savea in the right corner. That took him to 59 tries and put him briefly in equal second place on the all-time try-scoring list with Doug Howlett, another former All Blacks winger.
The Drua led 7-5 at halftime. The Hurricanes took the lead for the first time with Julian Savea’s second try three minutes into the second half.
Rakuro won back the lead with his second try before the Hurricanes forwards took some control and created tries to prop Xavier Numia and flanker DuPlessis Kirifi. The Hurricanes enjoyed their first comfortable lead at 24-14, but it was reduced it to three points when Meli Derenalagi scored in the 59th minute.
Valetini then decided the match with his two late penalties.
The Crusaders later overtook the Hurricanes for second place on the table with a 48-13 bonus-point win over the Western Force in Christchurch.
In other games, the Waratahs beat the Queensland Reds 32-24 and the Auckland Blues were awarded a penalty try after the final hooter to sneak a 31-30 win over Moana Pasifika, who remain winless this season, while on Friday the Waikato Chiefs continued their unbeaten season with a 52-28 win over the Otago Highlanders.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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