Hurricanes flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi has scored one of Super Rugby Pacific's fastest tries ever after he ran in within the opening minute of the side's win over the Fijian Drua in Napier on Saturday.
After the Hurricanes collect the ball midfield from a Drua clearing kick, halfback Cam Roigard was quick to take on the mismatched defence, slicing through the gap and running 25-metres downfield before offloading to Kirifi in open space for the flanker to outrun the covering defence to slam the ball down for the opening score of the match.
Crashing over in under 40 seconds, Kirifi climbs the ranks of fastest tries scored in Super Rugby history, but the title is still in Chiefs centre Rameka Poihipi's hands after he crashed over in just the eighth second against Moana Pacifika in 2023.
Can't get a better start than this!#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/OnZZoMk0LU
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) March 4, 2023
Despite the fast start for the Canes it was a duel between the two teams with the Drua entering the halftime break in the lead before they'd score a spectacular try of their own after they went 80 metres upfield, producing eye catching offloads to send lock Isoa Nasilasila steaming over the line.
The Hurricanes kept in touch thanks to tries to Roigard and Bailyn Sulivan, before the Drua would reclaim the lead once more through Elia Canakaivata.
It wasn't to be for the men from Fiji though after they failed to collect a restart and saw Harry Godfrey score the match winner in the 75th minute.