Late twist sees Hurricanes storm the west

BY TOBY ROBSON

It was a win from the ends of the earth.

The individual brilliance of wing David Smith and a Cory Jane try on the final play of the match saw the Hurricanes steal a 28-27 Super 14 win over a stunned Western Force in Perth last night.

Jane was an unlikely hero in an impossible win, stretching out his right arm to plant the match-winning try in the 81st minute. Four minutes earlier Smith had exploded through a crowd of Force defenders on an incredible 20m run to open the door to victory.

The Auckland pocket-rocket's effort, and Willie Ripia's conversion had brought the Hurricanes back to 27-23 with the clock against them.

From there it was sheer guts and desperation, the ball finally moved without a mistake to Jane, who stepped inside, accelerated and reached out for the winner.

"They make me proud, that's why I coach them," Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said after the match. "The way they came back and fought I thought was tremendous."

Relief probably doesn't start to describe Cooper's mood after his side grabbed four points and a second win from their three-match tour to climb to fourth on the Super 14 ladder. They will take renewed confidence into next Saturday's match against the Stormers at Westpac Stadium.

But it could have, arguably should have, been so different.

"Certainly, we're disappointed to lose from there," Force captain Nathan Sharpe said. "With 10 to go we were in pole position."

In fact, the Force were numerous laps ahead and after outscoring the Canes four tries to three will long wonder how they lost this.

Cooper would do well to dust off the tackle bags this week and may also want to read sections of the riot act to players who continually push passes they should not.

Ironically, Jane was one of the worst offenders, throwing away momentum with miracle balls.

The scrum was ordinary, outpushed by a non-descript Force pack, and the tackling was awful, 17 missed by halftime.

The Hurricanes trailed 20-13 at halftime with Force wings Nick Cummins, twice, and Scott Staniforth on the scoreboard as they stretched and broke the Hurricanes defence.

That was due to the efforts of the Force loose forwards, No8 Richard Brown and openside flanker David Pocock forcing the Hurricanes to commit too many men to the rucks and hence caught short out wide.

To their credit, the Hurricanes improved in the second half and, as they have in the past two games, finished strongly.

Few of the Hurricanes covered themselves in glory, but Ma'a Nonu tried hard all night and was the biggest threat in attack.

David Smith showed again why he should be an automatic selection on one wing, while No8 Rodney So'oialo's hard work didn't come to nothing.

Ripia kicked well enough for goal, his five of seven record important in the outcome, especially the penalty that closed the score to 27-16 with 15 minutes to play. But he was a mixed bag elsewhere.

Weepu will be welcomed back if fit next weekend.

Ripia opened the scoring after five minutes with his first penalty and Jason Eaton was unlucky to be called back for a forward pass, but aside from the opening 10 minutes it belonged to the Force.

Cummins got his first on 20 minutes, running off halfback Josh Valentine after a dominant set of scrums close to the line. First five-eighth Matt Giteau was stretching the Hurricanes and Staniforth was on the end of the line for a 12-6 lead.

The Hurricanes' respite came after Brown dropped the kickoff, Nonu using his power to put wing Zac Guildford in under the posts.

Cummins got his brace as the weight of possession grew and an act of stupidity from prop Neemia Tialata, yellow carded for holding back second-five Junior Paleasesa, hindered hopes of a comeback.

Centre Cameron Cross brushed aside some weak defence straight after the break to make it 27-13 by the time Tialata returned.

In the end it mattered little in a match that will have both sides shaking their heads for days to come.

Hurricanes 28 (Zac Guildford, David Smith, Cory Jane tries; Willie Ripia 3 pen, 2 con) Force 27 (Nick Cummins 2, Scott Staniforth, Ryan Cross tries; Matt Giteau pen, 2 con) HT, 13-20.

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