Defending champions score early, often at Super Rugby in Tokyo

Ricky Riccitelli of Hurricanes is scores a try as Kenki Fukuoka of Sunwolves tackles during their Super Rugby match in Tokyo on Saturday. (AP)

TOKYO: The Wellington, New Zealand-based Hurricanes began defense of their Super Rugby title on Saturday in emphatic fashion.
The Hurricanes scored four tries in the first 13 minutes and seven in the first half in a 13-try, 83-17 win over the Sunwolves at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in central Tokyo.
All Blacks openside flanker Ardie Savea crossed in the fifth minute and Vince Aso two minutes later. Savea then scored his second try of the match in the 10th minute before hooker Ricky Riccitelli helped give the New Zealanders a 24-0 lead.
It did not get any better for the Sunwolves, who are starting their second full season in Super Rugby. The Hurricanes led 31-0 after 20 minutes and 45-5 at halftime.
When South African import Riaan Viljoen scored for the Sunwolves in the 33rd minute to reduce the home team’s deficit to 33 points, thousands of Japanese fans in the stadium erupted in cheers and waved flags when the try was confirmed by the video referee.
Flyhalf Otere Black kicked nine conversions for the Hurricanes.
Although the Hurricanes seemed destined to reach the 100-point mark with 20 minutes remaining, they fell short of the record for points scored in a match, and the Sunwolves scored the final two tries.
The previous record for most points scored in a Super match was the Crusaders’ 96-19 win over New South Wales at Christchurch in 2002. The Sunwolves lost 92-17 last year to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, when the winners scored 14 tries.
Later Saturday, the Crusaders hosted the ACT Brumbies at Christchurch and New South Wales played the Western Force at Sydney. In three South African matches, the Cheetahs hosted the Lions at Bloemfontein, the Kings played the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares at Port Elizabeth and the Stormers took on the Bulls at Cape Town.
In completed matches on the season-opening weekend, winger James Lowe scored two intercept tries in the first half to help give the Chiefs a 24-15 win over the Highlanders in a New Zealand derby. The Queensland Reds opened with a 28-26 win over the Sharks and teenage center Reiko Ioane scored three tries — the first hat trick by a Blues player in four years — as the Aucklanders beat Melbourne 56-18.