Jordie Barrett boots the Hurricanes to victory over the Blues
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Jordie Barrett's long range boot has caught the attention of the rugby public during Super Rugby Aoteroa but it was his accuracy that saw the Hurricanes' to victory over Beauden Barrett's Blues.
Jordie Barrett fired the Hurricanes to a memorable victory over the Blues and move within a point of the Auckland-based side on the Super Rugby Aotearoa log.
Barrett coolly slotted a pinpoint conversion from wideout in the 76th minute after Asafo Aumua dived over from a rolling maul to give the Hurricanes a slender two-point lead.
Jordie CLUTCH Barrett 🎯 #SuperRugbyAotearoa pic.twitter.com/AzV17rebkS
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) July 18, 2020
It was another incredible game from New Zealand that saw eight tries being scored - four apiece - with Barrett's boot proving to be the difference.
Otere Black opened the scoring in the first minute of the game from the tee but his three points were quickly cancelled out as Ngani Laumape dotted down just three minutes later.
Stationed out on the wing, Laumpa received the ball and raced past Beauden Barrett on the cover defence before steamrolling over Otere Black to score the first try of the game which Jordie Barrett converted.
Gassess Barrett, Steamrolls Black 🚌
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) July 18, 2020
Ngani Laumape 😳#SuperRugbyAotearoa pic.twitter.com/tn2Dciyaf7
Barrett got one back over his former employers with a great show and go about 30 metres out to once again put his side in the lead by three points after Otere Black's conversion.
Show and gone 💨
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) July 18, 2020
Beauden Barrett🔥 #SuperRugbyAotearoa pic.twitter.com/kb6k75gdQD
The clash of the Barrett brothers was the main billing in the pre game but it was Laumape who shone brightest in the game.
The All Black centre almost scored his second when he ran over Beauden before being dragged down just before the line. In trying to slow the ball down, Blues' winger Emoni Narawa was caught on the wrong side of the ruck and was sent for a 10 minute breather in the sin bin.
With the Blues down a man, the Hurricanes looked dangerous but the Blues managed to keep them out and even grab a try of their own after Jordie Barrett missed a penalty.
Flanker Dalton Papali'i added to his impressive try tally in the competition after a strong maul before the Hurricanes respond with a driving maul try of their own with Reed Prinsep coming up with the pill and the five points.
Jordie missed the conversion but nailed a penalty on the stroke of half time as the sides went into the break all square.
Otere Black last just two minutes in the second half before he was pulled for the pitch with a concussion with the Hurricanes again taking the advantage through a lovely timed pass from TJ Perenara which saw Dane Coles ghost through to put his side 22-15 up. This after another great break from Laumape with Peter Umaga-Jensen and Du'Plessis Kirifi doing their part.
It was all square after a hour, again, after Akira Ioane powered over for the visitors with Kurt Ekland adding another from a rolling maul to put the Blues in the driving seat 22-27 with 17 minutes to play.
The Blues conceded another penalty in their 22 after pressurising the Aucklanders’ line. The Hurricanes went to the line and were rewarded as Aumua went over from close range out wide.
Jordie Barrett stepped up and nailed the conversion to hand the Blues back-to-back losses in the competition.