Super Rugby: TJ Perenara equals try-scoring record as Hurricanes beat Chiefs

TJ Perenara crosses the line twice to equal Julian Savea’s 62 career tries, the Super Rugby record as the Hurricanes defeat the Chiefs 36-23; the Hurricanes had to mount an impressive comeback after dropping behind the Chiefs during their match on Saturday

TJ Perenara has equalled the Super Rugby try-scoring record

TJ Perenara scored two tries to equal the Super Rugby all-time try-scoring record as the Hurricanes beat the Chiefs 36-23.

Former All Blacks scrum-half Peranara drew level with former Hurricanes winger Julian Savea on 62 career tries.

He scored in the 17th minute as the Hurricanes used an overwhelming scrum advantage early to build a 17-7 lead and again in the 58th minute, after the Chiefs had rallied to go ahead 23-17.

Perenara is a former All Blacks scrum-half

The Hurricanes were ascendant in the first quarter. But when the Chiefs rallied, obtaining more possession and applying pressure, the Hurricanes were stretched and lost cohesion.

At the start of the second half the Chiefs were looking more composed than the Hurricanes.

Emoni Narawa returned from the sin-bin to score the Chiefs’ second try and give them a six-point lead.

But the tide would turn again and the Hurricanes won back the lead through Perenara.

Then winger Kini Naholo scored at the end of a sweeping movement of more than a dozen phases and hooker Asafo Aumua, whose bruising ball-carrying had been a feature of the match, brushed off one tackler and carried three more over the line to score the Hurricanes’ fourth try.

“It’s pretty obvious our discipline at times put us at the wrong end of the field and the Chiefs are a good team and will capitalise on that,” Hurricanes captain Brad Shields said.

“I’m pretty happy with the way we defended at times and our bench came on and changed the game for us.

“A couple of key moments that we executed really well put us in a good spot to win.”

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