Force Lose in Wet and Windy Wellington

[Darren]

The Hurricanes have registered a 21-10 victory over the Emirates Western Force in tough conditions in Wellington tonight.

The home side dominated territory throughout the game, and only great defence from the WA side kept them to two tries.

The Hurricanes opened the scoring in the fifth minute through a penalty goal to halfback Piri Weepu. They extended their lead to 10-0 seven minutes later when Weepu converted hooker Andrew Hore’s try.

The visitors hit back in the 26th minute when Matt Giteau landed a penalty of his own to close the gap to 10-3 at half time.

The second half began as the first half had begun – with the Hurricanes hard on attack. Two penalties from Weepu and an unconverted try from Hosea Gear opened the gap to 21-3 after 66 minutes.

A late solo try to Cameron Shepherd, and the subsequent conversion from Giteau, cut the lead to 21-10, and that remained the score at the full time whistle.

Nathan Sharpe put his body on the line at every occasion in a terrific display of leadership, while flanker David Pocock was a constant menace at the breakdown.

5th Minute: Penalty goal to Hurricanes kicked by Piri Weepu. Hurricanes lead 3-0.
12th Minute: Try to the Hurricanes scored by Andrew Hore. Converted by Weepu. Hurricanes lead 10-0.
26th Minute: Penalty goal tom the Emirates Western Force kicked by Matt Giteau. Hurricanes lead 10-3.
HALF TIME SCORE: Emirates Western Force 3 Hurricanes 10
51st Minute: Penalty goal to Hurricanes kicked by Weepu. Hurricanes lead 13-3
51st Minute: Emirates Western Force – Sitaleki Timani replaces David Pusey.
56th Minute: Yellow card to David Pocock of the Emirates Western Force.
60th Minute: Emirates Western Force - Kieran Longbottom replaces Gareth Hardy.
66th Minute: Try to the Hurricanes scored by Hosea Gear. Not converted by Weepu. Hurricanes lead 21-3.
67th Minute: Emirates Western Force - Pocock returns from the sin bin. Sam Wykes replaces Matt Hodgson.
68th Minute: Emirates Western Force – Luke Holmes replaces Tai McIsaac.
70th Minute: Emirates Western Force – Chris O’Young and Scott Daruda replace James Stannard and James O’Connor.
77th Minute: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Cameron Shepherd. Converted by Giteau. Hurricanes lead 21-10.
79th Minute: Emirates Western Force – Haig Sare replaces Drew Mitchell and Gareth Hardy replaces Troy Takiari

FULL TIME: Emirates Western Force 10 Hurricanes 21

Emirates Western Force 10 (Shepherd try. Giteau 1 con, 1 pen)
Hurricanes 21 (Hore, Gear tries. Weepu 1 con, 3 pens)

[Flamethrower]

I just saw Sheps try on the news.
What a great effort

[lozenga]

great effort boys!
dane played well!

[OMS]

I thought the boys had a very good defensive game. They didnt have much ball to attack. The young boys in the backline had good games, O'connor going to be a good player when he grows up, Bambam played really well.

Nice chip and chase Sheps! Maybe we can see more against the Brumbies.

[pieter blackie]

Lets not forget that the score could have been 21-19 if the penalties were kicked

[zimeric]

bambam MOM for me even with his dubious yellow card, Gits had a shocker tonight a pity as those times are very rare, lets hope he can bounce back and thump the brumbies next week!

[JediKnight]

Gits had a shocker.....how much are we paying him again?! 2 kick-offs screwed up, at least one kick into dead ball = scrum, quick throw-in not 5 (dubious call).....must do better given the $$$ in his bank account.

Bam-bam....the unluckiest #7 this year.....what a ridiculous decision!!!! Kaplan deserves a week off for that.....what a muppet!!!!

Kaplan.....you're a twat.......watch a video of the match & offer the an apology!!!!

[slomo]

i thought we were pretty average in terrible conditions, the defending at times was great, maybe gits had a shocker, but mcissac was woeful......

[chook]

Gits has had a Lote, or has lote been playing like Gits? Anyway, he's obviously not getting enough money and as discussed on GTT, needs to use these lapses as bargaining tool to get more cashola from the powers that be.

How's his boots looking? Not orange enough?

How did the 12year old go?

[laura]

James O'Connor stood his ground pretty well, took a hefty hit and got up and kept playing.

Git's boots are looking mighty fine the way they are, on HIS body along with his Force jersey!

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Not sure what to say. The Force showed plenty tonight and a small spread at the end was a fitting result. I dont like dropping any game, but when you give everything and lose i can wear that. Sensational defence.

[chook]

Pity about his head. Ugliest player in world rugby is Gits

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Things quiet on the GTT site mate.?

[chook]

no, actually! Picked up since Mosebag got all his marriage gear out of the way. Pop over and say hi

[travelling_gerry]

Force hopes sunk by Hurricanes
By Tim Clarke and Darren Walton
May 09, 2008 THE Hurricanes boosted their semi-final prospects and extinguished the Western Force's flickering playoff hopes in the process with a 21-10 victory in torrential rain in Wellington.

The Hurricanes climbed above the NSW Waratahs into second place on the ladder with their eighth win of the season, while the Force can start planning for 2009 following their sixth defeat this campaign.

Significantly for Australian rugby fans, though, the Force did the NSW Waratahs a big favour by preventing the Hurricanes from nabbing a bonus point.

The Waratahs, three competition points shy of the Hurricanes with a game in hand, can regain outright second spot and the inside running for a home semi-final if they beat the Stormers in Cape Town.

Success over the Stormers and then the Queensland Reds in Brisbane in the final round next weekend, plus one bonus point from either match, would guarantee the Waratahs an all-important top-two finish.

The Force were starved of possession at Westpac Stadium, but some heroic defence restricted the Hurricanes to a single try in the first half.

Andrew Hore's lone five-pointer, plus a conversion and penalty goal from Piri Weepu, was little to show for the home side's monopolisation of territory and possession.

A succession of goal-line raids were repelled by the Force, with a similar pattern unfolding in the second half - until a yellow card to David Pocock further stressed the Force's desperate rearguard.

With unforced errors making the life even harder for John Mitchell's side, Hosea Gear cross for a long-threatened second try - but Force bravery was rewarded with a late solo score to Cameron Shepherd.

With their first-choice backline decimated by injury, Force coach Mitchell fielded two run-on debutants in winger Dane Haylett-Petty and centre Josh Tatupu, with 17-year-old James O'Connor making just his second start.

An early penalty to Weepu, after a stolen line-out and 60m march upfield, immediately put the Perth side on the back foot - where they stayed for the majority of the first half.

So good for so much of his second season in Force colours, Giteau's start was a disaster by his standards - with a 10th-minute attempt at improvisation handing the Hurricanes field position they pounced on.

The flyhalf's quick restart at a lineout was called back for the ball not travelling five metres, and after a succession of tight drives, Hore prevailed.

The Force vice-captain's early woes continued when he missed a straightforward penalty moments later, while Tatupu's first contribution in Force colours was a good one, with a burst from midfield.

That raid saw Giteau miss another penalty attempt, but good work underneath a high ball from Nathan Sharpe gave Giteau a third chance which he converted.

From there, the Hurricanes battered the Force line, with video referee Garratt Williamson denying Neemia Tialata, Drew Mitchell stealing a the ball from Willie Ripia on the goal line and Sharpe putting his body on the line with seconds of the half remaining.

After the main break, Mitchell was again on hand to prevent Cory Jane's tryscoring ambitions, but after Weepu's second penalty, Pocock's attempt to steal the ball from Ma'a Nonu did not impress South African referee Jonathan Kaplan.

With Weepu adding three points to the already harsh punishment, the Force dam finally looked ready to burst - with Tai McIsaac's wayward lineout leading to the slick handling move which put Gear over.

With the result assured, the Hurricanes pressed for a bonus point, but instead it was Shepherd able to turn some rare attacking ball into a memorable late try.

Tialata was later cited for a dangerous tackle on Force's Dane Haylett-Petty in the 73rd minute of the match.

He will appear for a hearing before SANZAR judiciary officer Chris Morris at the New Zealand Rugby Union headquarters in Wellington on Monday afternoon.
AAP