Waratahs Down Hurricanes In Wellington

`It was a very frustrating game ... we had enough possession but we couldn`t convert,` Hurricanes skipper Rodney So`oialo said.

Australia's New South Wales Waratahs survived a fierce second half comeback to beat New Zealand's Wellington Hurricanes 26-22 in the Super 14 on Saturday.

The Waratahs raced to a 19-0 lead inside the first 24 minutes after fullback Sam Norton-Knight and wings Lote Tuqiri and Lachlan Turner all scored tries but ended the game defending deep inside their own half against a wave of Hurricane attacks.

"We did everything to lose the game after we got off to a good start," Waratah's captain Phil Waugh said in a televised interview.

"But the guys hung in there and it was a pretty good win in the end.

"They put us under a lot of pressure ... so it was a good start but it's only game one and there's plenty to go."

The Hurricanes opened their account three minutes before halftime when flyhalf Daniel Kirkpatrick touched down to send the home team to the break trailling 19-5 at Westpac Stadium.

Wellington started to take control of the match in the second half and closed to within four points with 17 minutes still left on the clock when hooker Dane Coles darted through a hole to score.

NSW, Super 14 finalists last year, reasserted their grip on the match when teenage centre Rob Horne scored 10 minutes from the end after a clever crossfield kick from flyhalf Kurtley Beale, which gave the visitors an 11 point lead.

But the Hurricanes regathered the ball off their own kick off and put All Blacks winger Hosea Gear in the corner to ensure a nailbiting finish.

"It was a very frustrating game ... we had enough possession but we couldn't convert," Hurricanes skipper Rodney So'oialo said.

"We made a lot of mistakes in this game but hopefully we can go back and fix those little problems.

"We had a lot to say in the second half and obviously came out firing and dominated the second half."

New South Wales Waratahs (Australia) beat Wellington Hurricanes (New Zealand) 26-22 (halftime 19-5) in a Super 14 match at Wellington on Saturday.

Scorers:

Wellington Hurricanes: Tries: Daniel Kirkpatrick, Dane Coles, Hosea Gear; Conversions: Kirkpatrick (2); Penalty: Kirkpatrick

NSW Waratahs: Tries: Sam Norton-Knight, Lote Tuqiri, Lachlan Turner, Rob Horne; Conversions: Kurtley Beale (3)