Chiefs and Hurricanes win their preseason matches

...say no more

 

Brycy

As I predicted - but I ask you nicely to give us a bit of a rundown on the matches.  No scores no information - heck but why not tell us more.

Newswire

 

The Super Rugby champion Chiefs have begun 2013 in impressive style, beating the Highlanders 36-14 in a pre-season match at Taupo.

Gareth Anscombe made the most of the absence of All Blacks first five-eighth Aaron Cruden with two of his team's tries in a 21-point haul on Saturday.

Anscombe supported fullback Tim Nanai-Williams to score their opening try and lead 7-0 after the first quarter.

The hosts pulled clear in the second quarter courtesy of tries to winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma and halfback August Pulu along with an Anscombe penalty.

All Blacks winger Hosea Gear scored the Highlanders' first try as his team trailed 22-7 at halftime.

Chiefs No.8 Fritz Lee crossed in the third quarter and Anscombe bagged his second in the final stanza after backing up a Tikoirotuma break.

The match was a typically messy pre-season encounter, played in hot conditions with both sides making multiple changes throughout.

The Highlanders will play a second pre-season match against the Crusaders in Oamaru on Friday while the Chiefs will face the Reds on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on the same day.

 

 

The Hurricanes shrugged off the looming injury loss of winger Cory Jane with a 27-26 defeat of the Crusaders in a Super Rugby pre-season match at Timaru.

Trailing 19-5 midway through the first of four quarters, the Hurricanes recovered to win both teams' first game of the year on Saturday and provide some cheer following news that All Black Jane is likely to undergo season-ending surgery on a damaged knee ligament.

A late intercept try by former Canterbury midfield back Tim Bateman earned victory for the Hurricanes in a game played in hot conditions.

They scored five tries to four and boasted a notably stronger scrum than a Crusaders side which introduced 14 new players and rested most of their battery of All Blacks.

The Hurricanes tries went to James Marshall, Ash Dixon, Jason Eaton, Papa Wharewere and Bateman while the Crusaders crossed through Shane Christie, Kieran Fonotia, Codie Taylor and Tom Marshall.

Promising Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara safely negotiated his first match since breaking an ankle during the team's bye week on the Gold Coast last June.

 

 

Brycy

Thak you very much.   I thought that the Chiefs and Hurricanes would win - but it seems as if the latter game was extremely close.

Brycy

Thak you very much.   I thought that the Chiefs and Hurricanes would win - but it seems as if the latter game was extremely close.

@mikey,

dont forget these preseason games mean very little in the bigger picture, especially when u look at who the crusaders had missing,,,
wyatt crockett
corey flynn
luke romano
sam whitelock
kerean read
daniel carter
ryan crotty
tom taylor
adam whitelock
israel dagg

10 of those players are certain starters, with tom taylor definately in the 22 but could start depending on how blackadder use him and carter.

the crusaders will be a completely differnt kettle of fish to the team that played, same with all teams so far in the preseason trials.

 The Crusaders traditionally start slowly. So a preseason match they will only be in first gear as well. 

The Crusaders usually get stronger as the tournament progresses to peak for the finals. Although when they do not have Carter and Mccaw they are not as strong