Record breaking hat-trick for Thrush in 50-point win over the Stags

Lock Jeremy Thrush scored a hat-trick in the Wellington Lions’ 53-3 fourth round ITM Cup victory over the Southland Stags on Saturday.

Thrush became the first lock to score a hat-trick in a Division 1 NPC match (since 1976), scored only the fifth hat-trick by a tight forwards in Division 1 NPC rugby and the second for Wellington after prop Brian McGrattan scored three tries for the Lions against North Auckland in 1984.

Recent Wellington players to score hat-tricks before Thrush have been Matt Proctor against Otago in 2012, Jason Woodward against Taranaki in 2011 (on debut) and Hosea Gear against Counties Manukau in 2009. Gear’s hat-trick was a four-try haul. He was subbed with about 15 minutes to play, denying him the chance to score more tries.

On a bitterly cold Invercargill evening, Thrush and the Lions lit up the match with an eight tries to nil victory. The only points they conceded was a penalty inside the opening 10 minutes, meaning they haven’t let in a try since the first half of their season opener against Taranaki.

Strong defence, a dominant forwards effort and some dymanic individual play headlined by blindside flanker Vaea Fifita, paved the way for their fourth straight victory.

A first half double to Thrush propelled the Lions to a 15-3 halftime lead, before they ran away with the contest in the second 40 minutes.

Playing with the wind in the first spell, Thrush finished off well-constructed team build-ups to score tries in the 4th and 38th minutes. First five-eighth Jonny Bentley converted one of these tries and added a penalty. The Lions could have led by more at the break, but for several handling errors at key times.

Wellington made the first clean break of the match in the opening few minutes through second five-eighth Shaun Treeby, who threaded his way through traffic in broken play and brought play up into Southland’s 22.

This movement was thwarted, but moments later openside flanker Ardie Savea combined with Thrush who flew through to score.

The Stags replied with a penalty to first five-eighth Ash Moeke to make it 7-3 after several minutes.

The Lions built phase and made further inroads, before play was held up for several minutes for a scuffle that resulted in Stags prop Jamie Mackintosh and Wellington flanker Savea both being sin-binned.

Wellington attacked up the shortside through hooker Leni Apisai who combined at the front of a lineout with flanker Fifita and the former took off into open space. This raid went rewarded with a Bentley penalty in handy position.

After a scrappy period of play throughout the middle stages of the first half, the Lions built pressure in a long, patient period of phase play that Southland initially managed to hold off.
But Wellington’s back three, wings Wes Goosen and Joe Hill and fullback Cory Jane, ran back a clearing kick and this time the Stags couldn’t hold on as Thrush dived through to score his second try.

The Lions missed out on two clear try scoring chances early in the second half.
Replacement centre Tomasi Alosio went close to reeling in a Bentley stab kick, but he couldn’t grasp the bouncing ball with the line in sight.

The Lions then launched a 30 metre rolling maul from a lineout on halfway. Taking play up into the 22, Thrush peeled off and lunged at the line looking for a hat-trick but he knocked the ball on over the chalk.

Third time lucky, they turned over a Stags scrum, won their own loosehead feed and first five-eighth Jonny Bentley dived over to score in the corner. For good measure Bentley converted his own try, putting them ahead 22-3.

The Lions scored their fourth and bonus try moments later, from a turnover in midfield. Fifita charged into open space, put on a goosestep to take on the last line on defence and then brilliantly popped a pass in the tackle to busy hooker Apisai who scored the try. Bentley added the extras to put Wellington ahead 29-3.

Once more, Thrush went close to scoring his hat-trick, after halfback Frae Wilson and right wing Joe Hill combined in a kick and chase from a scrum near halfway.

Not to be denied, Thrush came up with his third try from an ensuing 5-metre scrum and pushover.

Fifita latched on to a pass by replacement halfback Tomasi Palu from a lineout and stormed through to score their next try to extend the lead to 41-3.

After another long, patient build-up, Alosio ran on to a Jackson Garden-Bachop stab kick and scored their next try.

Replacement halfback Tomasi Palu ran through to score their Lions eighth try and to raise 50 points for the evening.

The Lions have six days off before their next game at home at Westpac Stadium next Friday night, when they host Premiership front-runners the Tasman Makos.

Wellington Lions 53 (Jeremy Thrush 3, Leni Apisai, Vaea Fifita, Tomasi Alosio, Tomasi Palu, Jonny Bentley tries; Bentley 3 con, pen; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 con) beat Southland 3 (Ash Moeke pen). HT: 15-3.