Chiefs devote win over Reds to fallen Collins as Crusaders and Rebels march on
BRISBANE: The Waikato Chiefs devoted their herculean defence to the memory of Jerry Collins as they shut out the Queensland Reds to clinch a SuperRugby play-off berth in Brisbane yesterday.
The two-time winners outclassed the Reds 24-3, scoring three tries to nil and ensuring they will be playing in the top-six finals with one regular round to play.
It was an emotional victory for the Chiefs with skipper Liam Messam dedicating the win to former All Black Collins, 34, who was killed in a car crash with his partner Alana Madill on Friday in southern France.
The Chiefs were magnificent in defence, preventing the Reds from scoring a try in the final home game for Wallabies James Horwill and Will Genia before they take up playing offers overseas.
“We talked a lot about Jerry Collins as an All Black and what he brought to the field in his toughness and he was measured on his defence,” Messam said.
“We tried to honour him in the way we tackled tonight.”
The Chiefs bounced back from losing three of their previous four games to reassert themselves ahead of the play-offs and they finish off the regular season against the tearaway championship leaders Wellington Hurricanes next week.
Star fly-half Quade Cooper kicked the opening points but it was to prove the only points the Reds could muster even with a greater possession than the Kiwis.
Winger Bryce Heem scored for the Chiefs off a long pass from scrum-half Augustine Pulu and Messam stormed over without being touched minutes later off another Pulu pass to give Waikato a 14-3 lead at half-time.
In Auckland, winger Nemani Nadolo scored a virtuoso try to help seven-time champions the Crusaders to a 34-11 win over the Aucklandbased Blues yesterday and maintain their slim hopes of a play-off berth in Super Rugby.
When flyhalf Dan Carter put in a pinpoint crossfield kick to Nadolo’s left wing in the 12th minute, Fiji-born Nadolo soared high, plucked the ball out of the air with his outstretched right hand, then controlled it with his left and plunged over his marker to score.
Earlier yesterday, Lopeti Timani scored a try in the second half which clinched the Rebels’ 21-20 win over the Pretoria-based Bulls, eliminating the three-time champions from playoff contention.