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**dudeabides** · 04-16-2010, 05:35 AM

Stormers v Chiefs:

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The clinical Stormers thrashed the Chiefs 49-15 in Hamilton on Friday night to all but end the hosts' chances of reaching the Super 14 finals this season.

The Chiefs threw everything at the Stormers at times but their near-impenetrable defence held firm, giving them the platform to launch raid after raid and secure a six-tries-to-two victory, including one of the tries of the season so far. The Stormers join the Bulls on top of the standings, at least temporarily.

On two early occasions the Stormers were denied tries and had to settle for three points instead, the first bombed through a forward pop-up pass right at the line and the second ruined by an obstruction.

The Chiefs then earned some field position and three points of their own but the Stormers made no mistake on their next trip to the danger zone. Fullback Gio Aplon did well under pressure in his own 22 to retain possession and start the thrilling move, which featured two separate line breaks by Jaque Fourie and most of the Stormers' pack, as the ball was juggled, off-loaded, passed and flicked downfield. The Chiefs eventually effected a tackle near their own line but the ball was passed out to an unmarked Bryan Habana on the left for the easiest touch down of his career.

Duane Vermeulen grabbed a second that was expertly constructed by the slippery Aplon, who returned a poor clearing kick and cut through the line to set up the big No.8 out wide.

The Chiefs then got some good ball and tried everything to break down the Stormers' brutal defence. They failed to do so until the shadow of half time, when Chiefs No.8 Sione Lauaki, who'd had an error-riddled first half, made amends with a darting run off the back of a back-wheeling scrum and offloaded expertly to Tanerau Latimer under the posts.

A try right on half time would usually give that team a lift but it was the Stormers who lifted a gear when they returned from the break. Tiaan Liebenberg scored with a nice assist from Habana and giant teenage wing Sireli Naqelevuki crossed soon after. The excellent Andries Bekker, who was too big and too strong to handle all night, added another for the Stormers after a 30-metre rolling maul put the forwards within range.

Chiefs fullback Tim Nanai-Williams, a star in a losing side, finished well in the corner to give the home fans something to cheer about, but Stormers replacement Deon Fourie capitalised on a turnover to crash over and complete the rout.

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Brumbies v Hurricanes:

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In the day's second game, the Hurricanes breathed life into their campaign by denting the hopes of the Brumbies with a 23-13 win in Canberra. A 71st minute try to flanker Victor Vito sealed the Hurricanes first victory since round three against the Lions - and extended their winning sequence to four matches over the two-time Super Rugby champions. Vito picked up a loose ball on and strolled from the 22-metre line under the posts as the Brumbies appealed in vain for a knock on after Tamati Ellison lost the ball when tackled.

The Hurricanes' triumph -- despite spending half the opening period a man down -- provisionally improves them from ninth to seventh on the table with 22 points. In contrast the end of the Brumbies' eight-match winning streak at Canberra Stadium leaves them in a holding pattern in sixth. The home side held a slender 5-3 advantage at the end of a fractured first half dominated by the whistle of South African referee Jonathan Kaplan -- ultimately an unsatisfactory lead given their glut of possession and the Hurricanes' ill discipline.

In the only encouraging sign for the Hurricanes, they at least managed to limit the damage inflicted by losing two players to the sinbin inside the opening 30 minutes. Kaplan, who had not issued a yellow card in the competition leading into the 10th round encounter, quickly lost patience with the Hurricanes' sequence of early infringements. Third choice openside flanker Nick Croswell, deputising for expectant father Scott Waldrom and an ill Karl Lowe, was the first to incur Kaplan's wrath when he was sinbinned for an indiscretion at the breakdown.

The Hurricanes muscled up admirably when the pack was shorthanded, though the Brumbies, blessed with 77 per cent of possession and a territorial advantage, were guilty of squandering those gains with poor handling, a crabbing backline and errant kicking from Matt Giteau. Scrum-half Tyson Keats was the second Hurricanes player to irritate Kaplan when he saw yellow in the 28th minute for another breakdown penalty.

Finally the Brumbies were able to profit from their numerical advantage when Keat's opposite Patrick Phibbs dived over as his scrum zeroed in on a pushover try in the 33rd minute. Giteau's off night with the boot extended to his place kicking as he pushed the conversion wide while Aaron Cruden's three-pointer before the hooter provided a timely boost for an undermanned team confined to defensive duties.

Buoyed by still being in the contest at the turn, the Hurricanes took the lead via Cruden's boot and extended their lead in the 50th minute when Conrad Smith polished off a rare example of incisive back play after Hosea Gear broke the line before Ma'a Nonu fed Cory Jane, whose clever flick pass to Tamati Ellison enabled the wing to link with the All Black centre, who was unstoppable from close range.

Cruden added the angled conversion to give the Hurricanes a 13-5 buffer before Giteau atoned for a patchy return to the playmaking role when he dived over in Nonu's after the Hurricanes soaked up 11 phases. Kaplan eventually tired of the Brumbies' tactics at the breakdown in the 65th minute when reserve hooker Huia Edmonds was sinbinned, enabling Cruden to push the Hurricanes out to 16-10 before Giteau finally raised the flags with his fourth attempt.

Meanwhile, Vito faces an anxious wait to see whether he will face censure after his stiff arm tackle concussed Mark Chisholm as the lock ploughed to the try line in the 16th minute. The Wallaby appeared to be out before he hit the ground after he ducked towards the line. Kaplan and his assistants took to action but Vito's hit may be yet be examined by the match reviewer.

**dudeabides** · 04-17-2010, 04:25 AM

Force v Blues:

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Joe Rokocoko scored three tries as the Blues smashed the Force 38-14 in Auckland on Saturday keeping the Blues hopes of reaching the Super14 play offs alive for another week.

In all the Blues scored six tries which more than fulfilled their objective as they needed a bonus point win to stay alive in the tournament. The Blues other tries were scored by Tony Woodcock, Alby Mathewson and Rudi Wulf.

The Blues campaign is on a knife edge as they need to win all of their remaining matches with bonus points. They have to fly out to South Africa now for matches against the Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions.
Ironically the Blues made an appalling start for a side fighting for their championship survival.

They were kept pinned in their own half for most of the first 15 minutes and trailed 0-3 before Rokocoko ignited the turnaround.

In a 10-minute spell the Blues rocked the Force with three tries to race to a 19-3 lead and they were never threatened again.

"In this competition it's all about how you finish," said captain Keven Mealamu, who was not too concerned about his side's reputation as slow starters.

"It was nice for the boys to open up and there was some good excitement today as we were able to score some good tries."

It began when Rokocoko sparked a counter attack that carved off a valuable 60 metres and when the Blues realised they could compete they were rewarded minutes later with the All Blacks winger's first try.

Luke McAlister, taking the shots at goal for the first time this year in place of Stephen Brett, missed the conversion and a handy penalty soon after.

But he found his range when Rokocoko scored his second try and added the extra two points when prop Tony Woodcock barged over a few minutes later.

Alby Mathewson scored the bonus point try seven minutes into the second half when he took a tap penalty and targeted the Force middle rowers who were unable to catch the elusive halfback who scampered 30 metres to the line.

Rokocoko and Rudi Wulf also scored in the second half as the Blues opened up a 38-3 lead before the Force came back with a late try to David Pocock followed by a penalty try after Blues obstruction near the line.

The Blues now head away on a three-match tour of South Africa while the Force, already out of semi-final reckoning after losing their first six games of the season, return home to Perth to host the Crusaders next week.

Final Score 38 Western Force 17

Scorers

Blues
Tries - J. Rokocoko 3, T Woodcock, A Mathewson, R Wulf.
Pen -
Con - L McAlister 4
Drop -
Cards -

Western Force
Tries - D Pocock, Penalty
Pen - J O'Connor
Con - J O'Connor 2
Drop -
Cards -

Link

**dudeabides** · 04-17-2010, 02:54 PM

Crusaders v Cheetahs:

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The Crusaders laid what could be a temporary claim to the top spot in the Super 14 with a thumping 43-6 victory over the Cheetahs in Christchurch.

Missing star pivot Dan Carter through a hip injury, halfback Andy Ellis (concussion) and with winger Zac Guildford on the bench, the Crusaders hardly missed a beat as they strolled to a 26-6 half-time lead. Four first-half tries secured the bonus point early for the Crusaders, after elusive halfback Kahn Fotuali'i opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a jinking 40m run which caught the Cheetahs defence napping.

The South Africans stayed in touch through a Riaan Viljoen penalty, but the Crusaders' impressive scrum, ball retention and willingness to move the ball wide stretched the South Africans constantly. The Crusaders forward pack also had a fresh look about it, Ben Franks starting at tighthead prop ahead of brother Owen, while Sam Whitelock succeeded All Black Brad Thorn at lock, and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw returned to more familiar territory on the openside flank.

No 8 Thomas Waldrom celebrated his return to the starting line-up after an ankle sprain with a two-try haul, both coming in the last five minutes before halftime on the back of some superb Crusaders forward play.

The Cheetahs came out with renewed vigour in the second spell, winger Jongi Nokwe looking dangerous on the rare occasions he managed to find himself in space with ball in hand. The South Africans attacked the Crusaders line in the closing minutes, but could find no way through their well-organised defence, and faced the constant threat of a counter-attack as the Crusaders ran with pace and confidence.

Second-half tries to Sean Maitland, Ben Franks and replacement wing Guildford set the seal on a comprehensive win. Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske had named a young side with a raft of changes and a new halves combination after last week's 15-61 hiding to the Brumbies in Canberra, but they never looked capable of challenging the Crusaders as they eased to their seventh win of the Super 14 season. The Crusaders now face a difficult three weeks on the road, with games against the Force in Perth, the Stormers in Cape Town and the Bulls in Pretoria.

Blues v Force:

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In Saturday's opening game, the Blues kept their semi-final hopes alive with a 38-17 victory over the Force in Perth where winger Joe Rokocoko stepped up his bid for an All Blacks recall with a three-try haul.

It saw a confident Blues outfit bounce back from a loss to the high-flying Stormers twhile the result brought the Force back to earth with a thud after back-to-back wins over the Stormers and Highlanders, their only two successes of a tough season. The Blues scored six tries to two, and led 38-3 with three minutes remaining, before a late try from Wallabies flanker David Pocock then a penalty try from referee Keith Brown on the full-time siren when Stephen Brett was penalised for lazy running.

The All Blacks coaches admitted yesterday that Rokocoko's form had already caught their eye this season, the Fijian flyer kept his name in lights with the Blues' opening two tries as they took control with a 19-3 half-time lead at Eden Park. Two quick tries in five minutes after halftime saw the Blues put the match beyond doubt as the Force had chances but couldn't finish.

Lions v Sharks:

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The Sharks survived a late onslaught from the winless Lions to run out 32-28 at Ellis Park.

A terrible start did the damage for the Johannesburg outfit, who leaked three tries in the opening 25 minutes to trail 19-6, but they fought back into it and gave the Natal side a scare. Herkie Kruger put Dick Muir's side into an early lead, but JP Pietersen, Andy Goode and Stefan Terblanche combined to send Patrick Lambie down the right to score.

England fly-half Goode sent Ndungane over with a delightful pass, before John Smit set fellow Springbok Bismarck du Plessis up for an all front row effort. Two swift tries from Michael Killian, a long range effort, and Franco van der Merwe who brought the Lions back into the match.

Jacques Botes restored the Sharks' lead early in the second half with a bonus point clinching try, Ruan Pienaar converted before he exchanged penalties with Kruger. Derick Minnie's score made for a close finish, but the Lions couldn't get that elusive win.

**dudeabides** · 04-17-2010, 02:56 PM

And the big one,
Reds v Bulls:

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The Reds climbed into the Super 14 play-off picture with a stunning 19-12 victory over the Bulls in a pulsating encounter in Brisbane.

Tries from flanker Scott Higginbotham and winger Rod Davies and nine points from the boot of fly-half Quade Cooper carried the inspired Reds to a deserved victory in front of a bumper crowd at the Suncorp Stadium having dominated possession and territory throughout the game.

A try from hooker Derick Kuun had given the Bulls an early lead and a second half score from replacement Pedrie Wannenburg aligned with a superb defensive display offered hope of a late turnaround but the Reds closed out the game to climb to fourth in the table and signal a warning to their rivals that they are worthy title contenders. The losing bonus point sees the Bulls pull level on points with the Crusaders at the top of the table but they lost pole position to their Kiwi rivals thanks to their thumping victory over the Cheetahs earlier in the day.

The Reds showed plenty of confidence early on and gave the ball plenty of air in a lung-busting opening. But the Bulls gave as good they got in return and they struck back with the first try of the game with flanker Dewald Potgieter driving deep into the Reds' 22 before Kuun celebrated his 50th Super Rugby cap with the game's first try from close range.

Steyn stepped up to add the extras before the exciting nature of the game resumed with Reds centre Digby Ioane gobbling up ground in midfield up to the 22 before a big tackle from Bulls scrum-half Fourie du Preez forced the ball from Will Chambers' grasp. The Reds continued to press, opting against a kick at the posts, but some excellent scrambling defence from the Bulls continued to frustrate the hosts with fullback Peter Hynes bundled into touch in the corner. Bulls captain Victor Matfield was penalised for pulling down a maul shortly after but Cooper pulled the kick wide of the left upright.

After weathering another barrage, the Bulls sparked a counter attack that resulted in a wayward drop goal attempt from Steyn and a nasty injury for Potgieter who was caught by the knee of team-mate Kuun at the breakdown. The home side were finally rewarded for their endeavours when a kick ahead from scrum-half Will Genia set-up a foot race for the ball between Higginbotham and Bulls centres Wynand Olivier and Stephan Dippenaar that the Reds flanker amazingly won and he scored in the process - although he had to wait for confirmation from the Television Match Official.

Cooper was again off-target with his kick but the Reds took heart from the deserved success. A clever inside ball from Chambers to winger Rod Davies then carved the Bulls open but a tap from Steyn brought the Reds' flyer down in what was a try-saving tackle. The ball-hungry Reds were soon knocking on the door again but prop Ben Daly spilled the ball under pressure as he closed in on the line.

The pressure drew another penalty from the Bulls and this time Cooper found some form with the boot to give his side a narrow advantage but a careless penalty from Davies as the half-time siren sounded allowed Steyn the opportunity to put his side back into the lead but he made a hash of his kick.

The Reds looked to pick up where they had left off at the start of the second half with another kick ahead collected by Ioane but he was soon swamped by Bulls defenders. Cooper then claimed a try having hacked a loose ball on before winning the chase to touch it down but saw it ruled out due to a knock on by Ioane earlier in the move. But Cooper did have reason to celebrate a couple of minutes later when he slotted his second penalty. An early tackle from replacement Deon Stegmann on the Reds' Daniel Braid then allowed Cooper to slot his third that gave his side a seven point lead.

The increasingly influential Genia sparked the next attack following a rare lineout error from the Bulls and he found Chambers whose superb pass released Ioane who in turn released Davies for the score. Cooper was unable to cap what was a great score with the conversion but the Reds now had a stranglehold on the game.

The Reds' pack continued to upstage their illustrious rivals at scrum time and the home side were also getting the better of things in broken play with a penalty against Du Preez gifting Cooper the chance to cement his side's lead but he pulled his effort wide. The Reds were next to be penalised, for going off their feet, and Steyn took the game up to the 22 and another infringement allowed the Bulls' No.10 kick to the corner. They were unable to capitalise on the position with a knock on robbing the South Africans of momentum but the Bulls snaffled the ball at the scrum and replacement Wannenburg showed good strength to force his way over for a try in the corner. Steyn pushed the difficult conversion wide of the posts but they were back within a converted score as the game entered the final ten minutes.

The Bulls looked to turn the screw and took the game deep into Reds territory where successive penalties from gave them the perfect platform to push for a crucial score but a knock on handed possession back to their rivals. An early engagement gave the Bulls one final chance to rescue the game but the next penalty went the way of the Reds for not releasing in the shadow of the posts and Genia took delight in ending the game with at the next lineout by thumping the ball into touch.

The result sees the Bulls end their recent tour on a losing note but they will be confident of bouncing back when they play host to the Lions in their next outing. The Reds bucked the usual trend by hitting top form on their return home following a gruelling overseas leg and their reward is a clash with the high-flying Stormers at Suncorp next weekend.

Reds stun the Bulls in Brisbane | Rugby Union | Global | Rugby Match Pack | Scrum.com

The top teams in the Super 14 table after round 10 include:

1. Crusaders 34 pts.
2. Bulls 34 pts.
3. Stormers 33 pts.
4. Reds. 30 pts.

The Waratahs stand only one point behind the Queensland Reds.