Canes roar into life

Plenty of thrills in fine win

ANDREW GORRIE/ Dominion Post

FINDING THE MARK: The Hurricanes Jimmy Goperth scores a try followed closely by Chiefs player Stephen Donald at Wellington.

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A bonus point after 31 minutes, two tries in five minutes in the second half and six by fulltime. Somebody swab the Hurricanes.

The home side roared to life in the Super 14 last night with a 39-19 win against the Chiefs at Westpac Stadium as their high velocity game at last began to click.

This was a different team to the rabble that lost to the Waratahs in the first round and held on for grim life against the Reds last week.

It's too early to say the Hurricanes are back but there were plenty of signs last night that they have the potential to be contenders at the business end of the season.

Having treated the ball like a hot potato for the first two rounds, the Hurricanes were close to their best last night as they offloaded in the tackle for a succession of entertaining first-half tries.

In a night where many Hurricanes impressed, pivot Jimmy Gopperth had a wonderful game as he carved through an overly hasty Chiefs defensive line.

Wing Ma'a Nonu was also doing his best to impersonate a bulldozer in ballet shoes, while flanker Jerry Collins was a handful and dished up a great short ball for Nonu to open the scoring.

The burly bullock had gone close in the sixth minute but he made no mistake in the ninth when Collins put him into space and he stepped Sitiveni Sivivatu at fullback.

Gopperth was next over when centre Mils Muliaina was up too fast off the Chiefs tryline, leaving a gap the groundsman could have driven his tractor through.

It was a try that almost didn't happen as prop John Schwalger stopped running when a whistle was heard from the crowd.

Next it was the turn of the replacements, with Alby Mathewson's blood bin cameo dishing up a try after Gopperth sliced through the defence and kicked for the corner.

Shannon Paku, who had come on for fullback Cory Jane, capped an impressive first half team display with a try that featured multiple sets of hands.

At 26-5 the Hurricanes had played some superb rugby as the forwards and backs linked in the sort of bump-and-grind running rugby that's been their hallmark.

There were only 16,900 there to witness it - a pathetic crowd by the franchise's standards - but if the Hurricanes can maintain this sort of form it won't be long before the turnstiles are spinning.

After just half an hour it looked as if the Hurricanes had the game under control, but the Chiefs added to flanker Liam Messam's try in the 18th minute with one to first five-eighth Stephen Donald in the 36th.

It meant they went into the sheds down only 26-12 - a pittance in modern rugby - and closed the gap soon after the break with a try to flanker Tanerau Latimer.

From having the game in the bag, the Hurricanes were suddenly in danger of letting it slip.

It took a try to skipper Rodney So'oialo, as he ran off the ruck and carried several tacklers with him, to steady the ship and give the Hurricanes some breathing space.

A try to flanker Chris Masoe with 13 minutes to play added to the buffer and the Hurricanes also had the last say with a drop goal to second five-eighth Tane Tu'ipulotu on fulltime.