Wins for Blues, Reds, Chiefs and Crusaders
GREAT TRY: Lionel Mapoe of the Lions in action against the Jaguares at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, yesterday TOUCHDOWN: Patrick Lambie scores a try against the Southern Kings at Kings Park IN THE midst of countless adjectives available in the various thesauri, gloriously inept is the best way to describe the Kings’ mind-numbingly abject display yesterday evening.
In a first half of mad-cap rugby from Deon Davids’s side, the Eastern Capers allowed the Sharks to score the same number of points in 40 minutes as in the full game in the opening round.
The difference here was that the visiting Kings could not even muster the one try they scored in the 43-8 season-opening defeat. HIGHLIGHTS from round 13 of Super Rugby matches in Australasia.
Flanker Jerome Kaino and winger Tevita Li scored tries as the Blues claimed a rare away success with a narrow victory over the Force in Perth.
The New Zealand side scored all their points in the first half and led 17-3 at the break before the Force grabbed a try through flank Matthew Hodgson to claim a bonus point and set up a tense finish.
The victory was just a second away from home for the Blues in their last 15 matches on the road and kept their slim hopes of reaching the playoffs alive.
The Chiefs rediscovered their high-octane attack for long enough to secure a 36-15 bonus-point victory over the Melbourne Rebels that put them top of the Australasian group.
Coming off a bye after defeat by the Otago Highlanders in their last game, the Chiefs had the cowbells clanging from the fourth minute in Hamilton when centre Seta Tamanivalu cut inside two defenders to score their opening try.
The twice champions also had scores from returning two-cap All Blacks hooker Nathan Harris, flyhalf Aaron Cruden and winger Toni Pulu in the first half, while Andrew Horrell crossed for their sole effort after the break.
The Crusaders rode a blistering start to put the Waratahs to the sword in Christchurch, but a second-half try from former player Zac Guildford deprived them of what could be a crucial bonus point.
Coming off a loss to the Otago Highlanders that broke their eight-match winning streak last week, the Crusaders stunned the Waratahs with a breathtaking first 20 minutes of irresistible 15man rugby.
Tries from Johnny McNicholl, Israel Dagg and Richie Mo’unga helped them to a 22-5 half-time lead, but only Jordan Taufua was able to cross for the hosts after the break, but the Chiefs overhauled them at the top of the Australasian conference after they secured a bonus-point win over the Rebels earlier in the day.
Number eight Curtis Browning scored a try early in each half as the Queensland Reds held off a second-half surge from Japan’s Sunwolves in Brisbane to notch their third win of the season.
Sunwolves centre Derek Carpenter scored his second try of the match in the 50th minute and five minutes later flanker Liaki Moli crossed to level the scores at 25-25.
Reds scrumhalf Nick Frisby made a break that allowed lock Cadeyrn Neville to canter to the line on the hour mark, however, and the home side, who also had a try from skipper James Slipper in the first half, ultimately got the win they deserved. —