Winger Salesi Rayasi's try double has paved the way for a Hurricanes bounceback, with a resounding 41-12 win over NSW Waratahs at Wellington.
The Super Rugby Pacific leaders suffered their first defeat of the season seven days earlier, but showed that setback was temporary, scoring seven tries, as they overran their rivals from across the Tasman.
The bonus-point victory ensures they will stay atop the table beyond this weekend, regardless of other results.
The Hurricanes had the first attacking opportunity, when flanker Peter Lakai surged to the Waratahs 22, and from a subsequent scrum, quick hands gave centre Billy Proctor a straight run to the corner for the opening try.
Their lead doubled, when first-five Brett Cameron plunged over, after a period of sustained pressure near the tryline.
Fullback Ruben Love sparked the third try, breaking to halfway, with the ball travelling through several sets of hands, before winger Josh Moorby finished the movement.
Love's fingerprints were also on the next five-pointer, when he again initiated a breakout from Hurricanes territory and No.8 Brayden Iose was on the end of the passing interchange.
The visitors threatened to get on the scoreboard, when Dylan Pietsch took a midfield offload and kicked ahead, but the bounce eluded him under the crossbar.
When Cameron put the ball in touch on the full, they had one more chance from halftime and strung together 11 phases inside the Hurricanes 22, before a knockon dashed their hopes.
Ahead 26-0 at the break, the home side appeared to have added to their dominance, when lock Ben Grant charged down a clearing kick on the Waratahs goal-line and gathered to score, but the try was disallowed for a knockon.
The Sydneysiders were never able to clear their territory and when the Hurricanes regained possession, Proctor slipped a delayed pass to winger Salesi Rayasi to score.
The visitors finally found the tryline, when replacements Taine Edmed and Vuate Karawelevu combined down the right touchline, but Rayasi secured his try double in the corner, stepping around Karawelevu in the process.
Lock Hugh Sinclair charged over next to the posts, as the Waratahs finished fast, but TJ Perenara had the final say, extending his record as the competition's leading tryscorer, after another powerful run from Rayasi.
Hurricanes 41 (Rayasi 2, Proctor, Cameron, Moorby, Iose, Perenara tries; Cameron 3 conversions) NSW Waratahs 12 (Karawelevu, Sinclair tries; Edmed conversion)
More to come
Winger Salesi Rayasi's try double has paved the way for a Hurricanes bounceback, with a resounding 41-12 win over NSW Waratahs at Wellington.
The Super Rugby Pacific leaders suffered their first defeat of the season seven days earlier, but showed that setback was temporary, scoring seven tries, as they overran their rivals from across the Tasman.
The bonus-point victory ensures they will stay atop the table beyond this weekend, regardless of other results.
The Hurricanes had the first attacking opportunity, when flanker Peter Lakai surged to the Waratahs 22, and from a subsequent scrum, quick hands gave centre Billy Proctor a straight run to the corner for the opening try.
Their lead doubled, when first-five Brett Cameron plunged over, after a period of sustained pressure near the tryline.
Fullback Ruben Love sparked the third try, breaking to halfway, with the ball travelling through several sets of hands, before winger Josh Moorby finished the movement.
Love's fingerprints were also on the next five-pointer, when he again initiated a breakout from Hurricanes territory and No.8 Brayden Iose was on the end of the passing interchange.
The visitors threatened to get on the scoreboard, when Dylan Pietsch took a midfield offload and kicked ahead, but the bounce eluded him under the crossbar.
When Cameron put the ball in touch on the full, they had one more chance from halftime and strung together 11 phases inside the Hurricanes 22, before a knockon dashed their hopes.
Ahead 26-0 at the break, the home side appeared to have added to their dominance, when lock Ben Grant charged down a clearing kick on the Waratahs goal-line and gathered to score, but the try was disallowed for a knockon.
The Sydneysiders were never able to clear their territory and when the Hurricanes regained possession, Proctor slipped a delayed pass to winger Salesi Rayasi to score.
The visitors finally found the tryline, when replacements Taine Edmed and Vuate Karawelevu combined down the right touchline, but Rayasi secured his try double in the corner, stepping around Karawelevu in the process.
Lock Hugh Sinclair charged over next to the posts, as the Waratahs finished fast, but TJ Perenara had the final say, extending his record as the competition's leading tryscorer, after another powerful run from Rayasi.
Hurricanes 41 (Rayasi 2, Proctor, Cameron, Moorby, Iose, Perenara tries; Cameron 3 conversions) NSW Waratahs 12 (Karawelevu, Sinclair tries; Edmed conversion)
More to come
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