Waratahs clinch conference title

The NSW Waratahs posted a record score as they clinched the Australian conference title, while the Wellington Hurricanes beat the Auckland Blues to all but ensure them a home Super Rugby quarterfinal on Saturday.

The Waratahs crushed the Sunwolves 77-25 in Sydney, scoring 12 tries to three against the undermanned Japanese team, while the Hurricanes downed the Blues 42-24 in Wellington.

The bonus-point win ended a three-match losing streak and lifted the ‘Canes five points clear of the Waikato Chiefs, who retained a faint mathematical chance of hosting a quarterfinal when they held off a fast-finishing ACT Brumbies to win their encounter 24-19.

It was the Waratahs’ biggest score in Super Rugby and came after the Sunwolves led 18-12 in the first 30 minutes before the game swung on the redcarding of centre Semisi Masirewa for a late lifting tackle on Bernard Foley, leaving his side to play out the rest of the game a man down.

Powerful Ngani Laumape, known as the “Mini Bus” alongside his former All Blacks teammate Julian “The Bus” Savea, scored four tries as the Hurricanes outscored the Blues by six tries to three.

Laumape was virtually unstoppable with his head-on approach to the Blues defence.

The Hurricanes and Chiefs clash next week in the final round of the regular season, which will determine which side finishes fourth.

Even if the Chiefs draw level with a bonus point win, the differential heavily favours the Hurricanes.

Damian McKenzie orchestrated the Chiefs’ win over a hard-finishing ACT Brumbies in Hamilton.

The Brumbies, down 24-5 with 15 minutes to play, provided a storming finish which had the Chiefs rattled but it was too little, too late.

“I’m proud of the boys, they stayed in there right to the end,” a relieved Chiefs skipper Charlie Ngatai said.

“We talked about starting strong.

“We did that, but we were a bit slow in the second,” he said.

I'm proud of the boys, they stayed in there right to the end