Hurricanes 31 (Kini Naholo, Billy Proctor, Riley Higgins, Fehi Fineanganofo, Peter Lakai tries; Harry Godfrey con; Riley Hohepa 2 con)
beat the Blues 19 (Taufa Funaki, Cameron Suafoa, Patrick Tuipulotu, Beauden Barrett con, Harry Plummer con). Halftime: 12-7.
The Hurricanes put out the full house sign at William Jones Park three days ago for their one and only community pre-season fixture this season.
The many supporters in attendance this afternoon in bright sunshine left happy, their team running out 31-19 winners against the Super Rugby defending champions.
The Blues scored the game’s first try and the final two, but the Hurricanes ran in all 31 points unanswered in between.
The Blues made a strong start to the match, holding possession and building phases. The Hurricanes did well to hang on, but the visitors soon scored the game’s first try through halfback Taufa Funaki. Former Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
The Hurricanes continued on the back foot over the next period, until a breakout by popular hometown player and second-five Peter Umaga-Jensen led to No. 8 Brayden Iose being bundled into touch inside the opposing 22.
The Hurricanes won a turnover and maintained possession as the Blues lost a player to the sin-bin, which soon led to their first try to left wing Kini Naholo off an attacking scrum. First-five Harry Godfrey kicked the conversion and it was 7-7.
In the 33rd minute, the Hurricanes scored the try of the match, with halfback Cam Roigard making a break up the centre of the field off a scrum and hurling a lovely pass across to Naholo who in turn found centre Billy Proctor on his inside in support to score the try at the southern end of the ground.
This made it 12-7, the halftime score, although the Blues missed a couple of clear chances to equalise later in the half, a lack of patience knocking them back at least twice and a turnover under his posts by Hurricanes flanker Du Plessis Kirifi saving the day.
The second half kicked off with both sides starting to make numerous changes to their line-ups. The Hurrricanes brought 41 players to this match, and all were eventually used.
The Blues lost their second player to the sin-bin two minutes in, when fullback Zarn Sullivan slapped the ball away in his in-goal after a kick and chase by Roigard.
Crisis averted, the Blues muscled up and should have scored off an attacking lineout but conceded a penalty whilst hot on attack.
Play ebbed and flowed between the 22s for the next 10 minutes, both teams making unforced errors and defences holding.
The Hurricanes then scored two tries in as many minutes, mostly against the run of play.
In the 62nd minute, the Hurricanes struck with their third try, after first-five Riley Hohepa chipped over the top of the Blues’ backs from his 22. This was kicked on and regathered and midfielder Riley Higgins flew in to score. Hohepa added the extras to put the home team up 19-7.
Two minutes later, wing Fehi Fineanganofo reined in another kick and chase and ran 50 metres up the far touchline to score their fourth try. This made it 24-7.
Openside flanker Peter Lakai then intercepted a poor pass in centre field and ran 40 metres untouched to score a runaway try under the posts, to extend their lead to 31-7.
The Blues scored their second try with three minutes to play then again on fulltime to All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu.
The Hurricanes open their 2025 Super Rugby season proper next weekend against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
