Hurricanes hang on to win

AFP - Friday, March 07, 2008 11:56 PM

The Wellington Hurricanes used some desperate defence to beat the Highlanders 10-6 in their Super 14 clash here last night.

The Highlanders, still searching for their first win in this year's Super 14, could not convert their dominance of possession and territory into points in an error-ridden performance from both sides.

The home team enjoyed 63 per cent of possession and 77 per cent of territory but ended the match tryless, their two penalties not enough against the Hurricanes' converted try and penalty.

A downcast Otago captain Craig Newby described the loss - after a scoreless second half - as "gutting".

"We tried our guts out there. I reckon we were the better side on the night," he said.

"We created some opportunities and couldn't quite finish them."

In their dynamic 39-19 win over the Chiefs last week, the Hurricanes looked like they had left behind their patchy early season form.

But their inconsistency returned at Carisbrook against the tenacious Highlanders.

Apart from their first-half try, the Hurricanes were unable to make much use of the scraps of possession they won in a lethargic display in which they were often unable to make their passes stick.

The Highlanders dominated a Hurricanes pack missing All Blacks Neemia Tialata and Chris Masoe, while Highlanders scrumhalf and winger Fetu'u Vainikolo were dangerous in attack.

A Jimmy Gopperth penalty in the seventh minute and a converted try to All Black flanker Jerry Collins after 10 minutes following a characteristic sweeping Hurricanes counter-attack looked ominous for the home side.

But the unglamourous Highlanders stuck to their task and scrambled their way back into the match, helped by poor Hurricanes handling.

Two penalties from fullback James Wilson in the 13th and 37th minutes brought them within striking range but that was as close as they got.

They could have hit the lead with two first-half scoring chances, coming undone on the Hurricanes' try line through poor handling and defensive pressure.

They were unlucky in the final minutes not to score through relentless pressure within their opponent's 22.

But in the dying seconds they were again the authors of their misfortune, choosing to kick towards their winger after the fulltime hooter sounded.

Hurricanes flyhalf Gopperth claimed a mark and kicked into touch with great relief to end the match.