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Hurricanes blow past Force

Wellington - All Blacks utility back Tamati Ellison set up three of the Hurricanes' seven tries as the home side beat an injury-ravaged Force side 47-22 in their Super 14 match at the Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

Ellison created two first half tries for Cory Jane and David Smith with clever kicks, then set up Smith's second half try with a well-timed pass.

Blindside flank Michael Paterson, tighthead prop Neemia Tialata, centre Ma'a Nonu and replacement scrumhalf Tyson Keats also scored second half tries, while flyhalf Willie Ripia added a conversion and two penalties before he was substituted.

Scrumhalf Piri Weepu also slotted a conversion before he was replaced by Keats. Replacement flyhalf Aaron Cruden converted Keats's try.

"We had to work pretty hard for the first 40 minutes ... but we got some good quick ball and scored some good tries in the end there," Hurricanes captain Andrew Hore said in a post-match interview.

Ellison set up both first half tries with superb grubber kicks behind the rushing Force defence, allowing Jane and Smith to gather and score in the corners.

Ripia converted Smith's try and added two penalties while Josh Tatupu scored for the Force after a well-worked backline move created an overlap.

Force fullback James O'Connor, who had opened the scoring with a penalty, missed the conversion and another penalty attempt to leave the score 18-8 to the Hurricanes at the break.

Paterson and Smith scored to give the Hurricanes a 20-point lead midway through the second half before Force wing Dane Haylett-Petty scored his side's second try, which was converted by O'Connor.

Tialata, Nonu and Keats, however, put the game beyond doubt before Force replacement Chris O'Young scored a consolation try, which O'Connor converted, in the final minute.

"I thought for the first half, and first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half, we were right in there," Force captain Nathan Sharpe said.

"But we will rue our own mistakes. We missed a few one-on-one tackles and they broke our line and we gifted them a few tries."

The Hurricanes picked up five points for their efforts, while the Force left empty-handed.

In Round 3 action, the Hurricanes host the Lions in Wellington, while the Force face the Chiefs in Perth.
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