SYDNEY, March 28 (Reuters) - Winger Fehi Fineanganofo scored a hat-trick for the second straight week as the Wellington Hurricanes handed the Queensland Reds a 52-14 reality check on Saturday to stay top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings after round seven.
The Auckland Blues later crushed Fijian Drua 40-15 with a dominant second-half performance to join the Hurricanes on 25 points, albeit with an aggregate points difference 71 lower than their rivals.
The Reds arrived in Wellington on a four-match winning streak looking for a first victory in the New Zealand capital since 1998 but returned home the latest victims of the high-octane Hurricanes attack.
The Hurricanes established a 24-7 lead by the 28th minute through tries from scrumhalf Cam Roigard, fullback Josh Moorby and wingers Fineanganofo and Bailyn Sullivan before the Australians battled back in the dying moments of the half.
Centre Isaac Henry crossed in the 37th minute from an attacking lineout and flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips'conversion reduced the deficit to 10 points at the interval.
Hooker Asafo Aumua punched through the Reds defence four minutes after the restart to set up lock Warner Dearns for the home side's fifth try, and Fineanganofo powered through for his second seven minutes later.
An interception allowed Fineanganofo to complete his hat-trick before replacement Vernon Bason drove over for his side's eighth try, giving the Hurricanes 50 points or more for the fourth time in six matches this season.
"We wanted to go out with a bang before the bye week and then reset when we get back into it again in two weeks," Fineanganofo said.
The Blues trailed 15-14 soon after the break against the Drua at Eden Park but four tries in the last 30 minutes gave them a bonus-point victory to open up a five-point gap on the ACT Brumbies.
BRUMBIES LOSE AT HOME
The third-placed Brumbies slipped up 30-28 at home on Friday against the New South Wales Waratahs in a match ultimately decided by the nerveless kicking of visiting fullback Sid Harvey.
The fast-starting Waratahs opened up a 14-point lead but a try by loose forward Charlie Cale just before halftime halved the deficit and lock Lachlan Shaw crossed the line to level the scores soon after the restart.
A trio of penalties from teenager Harvey in the final 25 minutes put just enough daylight between the teams to ensure the Brumbies could not complete a late comeback despite replacement Luke Reimer's 78th minute converted try.
In the final match of the round, the Waikato Chiefs maintained their 12-year dominance over the Western Force with a 24-14 victory in Perth which moved them into fifth place in the standings, a point behind the Reds.
Winger Caleb Tangitau had inspired the Otago Highlanders to a comfortable 39-19 win over bottom side Moana Pasifika in Friday's round opener, scoring a pair of tries in a dominant first-half performance by the visitors at North Harbour Stadium.
(Reporting by Michael Church and Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Ed Osmond.)
