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Bulls on top after round 5
WELLINGTON – South Africa’s Bulls extended their home winning streak to 10 games and went to the top of the Super 14 standings with a 50-35 win over Otago in the weekend’s fifth round.
The defending champions are unbeaten since April 2009, haven’t lost at home since April 2008, and lead the tournament by a point from compatriots the Stormers, despite having played one less match than their closest rivals.
The Cape Town-based Stormers beat the Wellington Hurricanes 37-13 on Saturday to hold second place, one point behind the Bulls and a point ahead of the Canterbury Crusaders, who beat the Waikato Chiefs 26-19.
Canterbury, the Stormers and the ACT Brumbies, who beat the Sharks 24-22, have 4-1 records after five rounds, although the Brumbies are fifth in the standings without a bonus point from five matches.
The Pretoria-based Bulls’ seven tries to five win over Otago was the fourth time they have passed 50 points in their past five games and brought their points tally this season to 199.
Backrower Pierre Spies and winger Francois Hougaard both scored two tries for the Bulls who led 36-14 at halftime.
Otago rallied in the second half, led by fullback Israel Dagg who scored three of their five tries.
“We were not that good in the second half,” Bulls captain Victor Matfield said.
“We knew they would come back, but we didn’t use opportunities close to the line.”
The Stormers scored five tries and produced another strong defensive display to beat Wellington at Cape Town.
Sireli Naqelevuki, Joe Pietersen and Duane Vermeulen all crossed for first-half tries while prop Brok Harris forced his way over in the 57th minute to secure a four-try bonus point.
Wellington replacement scrumhalf Tyson Keats’ scored after the final whistle but the Hurricanes slipped to a second successive defeat in South Africa after an unbeaten start to the season.
ACT flyhalf Matt Giteau kicked five penalties, including the winning points in the 71st minute, to give the Brumbies a 24-22 victory over South Africa’s Sharks.
The Brumbies outscored the Sharks two tries to one on Ben Alexander’s double while England flyhalf Andy Goode kicked 17 points for the Durban team five penalties and a conversion of Ruan Pienaar’s try.
The Sharks, despite having 11 Springboks, have lost nine of their past 10 matches.
“I didn’t think it was a very good performance, but we’ll take it,”ACT captain Stephen Hoiles said.
“We’ve got a fair bit of improvement in us.”
John Smit played his 50th Super match as captain for the Sharks, who have lost four matches this season by fewer than seven points.
“We did enough to win the game, but we gave them too many easy penalties, and we have only ourselves to blame,” Smit said.
The Queensland Red scored a 50-10 win Sunday over fellow Australian side the Western Force, keeping the Perth-based team winless in four matches and without a competition point.
New South Wales winger Drew Mitchell scored four tries as the Waratahs flogged the Johannesburg-based Lions 73-12. It was the first time the Waratahs had scored 11 tries in one Super rugby match, and Mitchell became the first New South Wales player to score four in a game.
Canterbury flyhalf Dan Carter became the second-highest points scorer in Super 14 rugby history by kicking 16 points in the Crusaders’ win over the Chiefs.
With the fifth of his six successful kicks at goal, Carter surpassed former Crusaders and All Blacks flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens’ mark of 990 points.
The Cheetahs and Auckland had weekend byes.
– Nampa-AP
