Hurricanes' Brayden Iose scores try during the Super Rugby Pacific Hurricanes v Force at Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North on the 2nd of April 2023. © Copyright image by Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz Photo: Marty Melville
The Hurricanes have been scoring points for fun this season and another five tries saw them outlast a strong-finishing Western Force 45-42 in Palmerston North in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Perth-based Force took a little gloss off the win with two late tries that denied the Hurricanes a fourth bonus point of the season.
Meanwhile the Chiefs top the standings on 27 points with the Hurricanes in second place on 23 and the Brumbies third a further two points back.
The reigning champion Canterbury Crusaders ended the weekend in fourth on 19 points after their injury-weakened team ground out a 25-12 win over a poor Queensland Reds team in Brisbane on Friday.
The Brumbies, who fell to their first loss of the season against the Crusaders last week, were just happy to get a win after trailing the Waratahs for much of Saturday night in Canberra.
The Waratahs dominated the first half and led 33-21 with 20 minutes remaining but flying winger Corey Toole raced in for a try three minutes from time to give the Brumbies an 11th straight win over their biggest rivals.
The Drua produced the best first-half performance of the weekend, however, running in five tries in the first 28 minutes in front of a packed house in Suva.
That gave them enough of a cushion to see out a second-half comeback from the Rebels and back up their historic win over the Crusaders in their previous home match in Fiji.
Moana Pasifika remained without a win after a 45-17 loss to the Highlanders in Auckland on Friday.
- Reuters