Monday 30 March 2015 16:52, UK
The Hurricanes maintained their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season against the Rebels on Friday, while the Lions ended their four-game tour in style with a narrow victory over the struggling Reds.
Nehe Milner-Skudder scored a brace of second-half tries as the Hurricanes fought back from a first-half deficit to crush Melbourne Rebels 36-12 in Westpac Stadium.
Milner-Skudder touched down in the 77th and 79th minutes for the Hurricanes who remain unbeaten after the opening six matches of the Super Rugby season.
The Rebels had led 12-10 at the break thanks to four penalties by Mike Harris, although it was the Hurricanes who responded by going over four times in the second half and five times in all.
TJ Perenara, Cory Jane and Callum Gibbins also notched tries for the hosts who are the only unbeaten side in the southern hemisphere competition this year.
One of the highlights was a first-half score by Perenara who, in his 50th Super Rugby game for the team, finished off a well-worked move to notch Wellington’s opening try.
Jason Woodward, who kicked all four conversions, ended with 11 points for the early league leaders who are seven points clear of the Brumbies.
The Lions rounded off their Australasian tour in style by registering an 18-17 win over the struggling Reds at Suncorp Stadium.
The Johannesburg-based side showed no signs of weariness despite four weeks away as they soaked up waves of pressure to earn their third win in four tour games after victories over the Rebels and Blues.
Harold Vorster crossed for his first Super Rugby try in the opening half, with flanker Warwick Tecklenburg adding a second after the break to condemn the Reds to their fifth loss in six matches.
The returning Quade Cooper gave the hosts an early lead in Brisbane from a penalty but the Lions hit back through Vorster, who held off Samu Kerevi to touch down in the corner.
Elton Jantjes missed the conversion but kicked a penalty just before the half-time whistle to send the visitors in 8-3 up.
The Reds coughed up a second try after the restart, a wayward lineout resulting in Tecklenburg crashing over for a 15-3 lead.
But Queensland hit back immediately after Lions winger Ruan Combrinck in the sin bin. They were awarded a penalty try with 12 minutes remaining after a powerful scrum was disrupted illegally.
The hosts took the lead with 12 minutes remaining when Kerevi burst over following good play by Ben Tapuai and Cooper, who added the conversion to make it 17-15.
However, ill-discipline allowed Jantjies an easy opportunity to slot a penalty from in front of the posts and more frantic defence in the final stages ensured the win, with a Cooper drop goal effort charged down in the final play of the game.
