Umaga outstanding as Hurricanes weather Reds storm
Friday, 4 April 2003 14:46All Black centre Tana Umaga was outstanding as he led the much-improved Wellington Hurricanes to a heroic 26-23 victory over the Queensland Reds in the Super 12 competition in Brisbane today. The Hurricanes, showing more resolve and character than in past seasons, resisted all that the home side could hurl at them to hang on to an important victory that kept them in second place behind the Auckland Blues, beaten earlier today 22-11 by the Otago Highlanders.
Wellington led 13-6 at halftime and kicked away to a 23-6 lead early in the second half before the Reds hit back with three tries to trail by three points into the final five minutes. But the Hurricanes were committed in defence in repulsing Queensland attacks with hard-hitting defence, with skipper Umaga at the heart of the resistance.
Umaga scored the Hurricanes' opening try, his 37th in Super 12 before fullback Christian Cullen crossed for his 54th try in 81 Super 12 games to put the Hurricanes in command at 23-6 with just under half an hour left. But the Reds, relying on grinding forward power, hit back with tries by Joe Roe, Wallaby centre Daniel Herbert and scrum-half Josh Valentine in a bid to keep their season alive.
It was the Hurricanes' fifth win of the season but the Reds are anchored at the bottom and came away with just one bonus point for finishing within seven points of the Hurricanes. To further dampen the spirits of the Reds was the loss of Wallaby fullback Chris Latham after just 15 minutes with an apparent serious ankle injury, robbing the home side of their potent attacking back.
The Hurricanes have a home match against the New South Wales Waratahs in Wellington next Friday, while the Queensland Reds are off to South Africa for matches over the next fortnight against the Western Stormers and the Northern Bulls.
