This article was originally published in Stuff and is reproduced with permission
No pressure, Highlanders. A surprising Hurricanes misstep in Perth on Saturday night left the Southerners with a job to do on Sunday to sneak into last place in the quarter-finals of Super Rugby Pacific.
The Force have had to win this regular season finale to give themselves a chance at eighth place, and have done so by upsetting the Cannes after a late try from midfielder Byron Ralston, and an excellent defense under pressure in the last minutes.
That puts the Western Australians 4-10 ahead of the Highlanders in eighth place right now, with the Southerners needing to pick up something from their last game against the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday to win a fourth against the red blues next Saturday. night in Auckland.
Watch all Super22 Rugby Pacific 2022 season games, no ads, live and on demand only at Stan Sport. Sign up for your free seven-day trial!
Strong players celebrate an attempt. (Getty)
There was not much at stake for the Canes when the game began, with the capital closed in fifth place, and a quarter-final visit to the Canberra Brumbies. He also showed up a bit with a performance below normal that interspersed class moments with much less merit.
The Hurricanes’ second loss in their last six puts them up 8-6 with 39 points, one point ahead of the Waratahs, their closest pursuers.
The Kiwis were given a chance to change things around after 74 minutes, but the shot went just wide.
READ MORE: Tear gas fired at Liverpool fans amid chaos in the Champions League
READ MORE: Sullivan’s Blues Heroic Sunk Waratahs at Leichhardt Oval
LATEST GUIDE: Why the Aussie IndyCar is still underrated
Hurricanes make a haka. (Getty)
Aidan Morgan and Josh Moorby continued their strong rookie campaigns with excellent performances on a busy Cannes backline. Moorby, in particular, with his pair of rehearsals bringing his season to seven, looks like an exciting prospect with an attacking firepower in the back. Morgan’s goal kick is still his most important job.
Wes Goosen (95m in the lane) and Salesi Rayasi (70m) also ran hard and strong for the visitors, while young number 8 Brayden Iose made a big change before giving way to Ardie Savea for the last quarter.
The staffs took a 17-13 lead at the break, no doubt a little disappointed by the late try given to the Force Santiago Medrano team that allowed the locals to go back to the game.
Sean Maloney and Andrew Mehrtens look back at the Super Rugby Pacific cultural round, talk about the best rookies of the season and give fun updates on Weird Cat XV and Mystic Mehrts
Three previous tries in a golden quarter of an hour had led the visitors from 0-6 to 17-6 five minutes into the break. Winger Moorby centered two of them to score a first 40, while Iose had the third when he was splendidly employed on the left side by Rayasi’s power and creativity.
A yellow card from Rayasi and an attempt by Andrew Ready to force the second half into the Force, Rayasi put the Kiwis ahead again (22-20) shortly before three quarters, and then things they got rid of visitors while running home.
For Kiwis veterans Jeremy Thrush and Richard Kahui of Perth, they now have to wait for events in Melbourne to see if this is really the end of their careers. The ball, you could say, is on the Highlanders’ court.
Image of the Super Rugby playoffs. (Stan)
Strength 27 (Santiago Medrano try 39 min, Andrew Ready try 45 min, Byron Ralston try 74 min; Ian Prior 2 pen, 2 against; Michael McDonald with) Hurricanes 22 (Josh Moorby 2 attempts 21 min, 27 min, Brayden Iose try 35 min, sale 58 min). ; Aidan Morgan with)
For a daily dose of the best breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by CLICKING HERE!