IT PROBABLY DIDN’T get much better than Sonny Bill Williams’ big hit for the Chiefs in New Plymouth this morning as the Hurricanes finished a brilliant regular season of Super Rugby with another impressive win.
The ‘Canes won 13 – 21 thanks to tries from Conrad Smith and James Marshall (in for injured-again Beauden Barrett), but it was Marshall’s younger brother Tom who inadvertently offered the league leaders a route back in to the game as he was penalised for an armless hit on Julian Savea on 33 minutes.
Check out the astonishing offload from Nehe Milner-Skudder that forced Marshall in to desperate measures.
The contact forced Savea in to touch, but the fullback was yellow carded and a penalty try was awarded at a time when the Chiefs led 13 – 0.
Within five minutes, Conrad Smith put the ‘Canes ahead, racing in near the posts after James Marshall made the break, two local boys silencing the crowd in New Plymouth.
