Blown away: Hurricanes beat Chiefs 25-9 in Super Rugby semi-final
Beauden Barrett creates first try, scores the second and kicks two penalties and two conversions to hand his side an emphatic win
Fly-half Beauden Barrett spurred the Hurricanes to a 25-9 win over the Chiefs in an all-New Zealand semi-final on Saturday, ensuring the Wellington-based team will host Super Rugby’s final for the second consecutive year.
Barrett created the Hurricanes’ first try, scored their second and kicked two penalties and two conversions to surpass 200 points for the season and outplay opposite number and All Blacks team-mate Aaron Cruden.
The Hurricanes lost captain Dane Coles to a rib injury – a decision made just before kick-off – but overcame that substantial setback to reach the final as top seeds, as they did last year when they were beaten by the Highlanders.
Number eight Victor Vito scored one of the Hurricanes’ three tries and scrum-half TJ Perenara had an outstanding game, as Barrett orchestrated the Hurricanes’ attacking play.
The Hurricanes’ defence remains one of the best aspects of their play, and they have now gone two and a half matches without conceding a try as the Chiefs’ only points came from three penalties to Damien McKenzie.
“The boys were really pumped, defending for a big part of that game, especially for about 15 minutes in that first half,” Hurricanes’ stand-in captain Perenara said.
