Aussies dominate Super 14 openers

SYDNEY – Weakened New Zealand heavyweights Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Hurricanes lost their opening Super 14 rugby games as Australian contenders made winning starts this weekend.

Defending champions Canterbury, who have dominated the southern provincial series with six wins in 11 seasons, crashed to a 34-25 defeat to Auckland Blues in Auckland, signalling tougher times with seven leading stars rested ahead of this year’s World Cup. Wellington, who lost to the Crusaders in last year’s final, fell 25-16 to Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday, also were hamstrung by the absence of their key All Blacks.New Zealand coach Graham Henry has barred 22 All Blacks from the first seven Super 14 matches this year while they undergo a World Cup conditioning program.Otago Highlanders were the only other opening weekend Kiwi winners along with Auckland as they edged out the strengthened Western Force 8-7 in Perth last Friday.While the Force failed to deliver on their costly off-season recruitment, other Australian franchises launched their campaigns with wins.New South Wales Waratahs, runners-up to the Crusaders two seasons ago, made light of their late arrival in South Africa to down the Lions in Johannesburg’s high altitude in a 25-16 win, while two-time winners ACT Brumbies registered a 21-15 away win over the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.Central Cheetahs outclassed Western Stormers 27-9 in an all-South Africa match to lead on points differential after the opening weekend, ahead of the Coastal Sharks who downed the Northern Bulls 17-3 in Durban.The Crusaders, missing star flyhalf Dan Carter and inspirational skipper Richie McCaw, shared six tries with the Blues in a fast match but the home side dominated possession in key passages and played with more purpose.The Blues enjoyed 57 percent of possession and won the rucks and mauls by a margin of nearly two to one while the Crusaders missed 25 tackles to the Blues’ 10.In Brisbane, rugby league converts Clinton Schifcofske and Berrick Barnes starred in Queensland’s grinding win over the Hurricanes, also missing their All Blacks.Both teams scored a try in an attritional game with fullback Schifcofske, signed from Australia’s National Rugby League in the off-season, proving the difference with five penalty goals and a conversion, while flyhalf Barnes was instrumental in the Reds’ sole try, kicking across field for lock Mitchell Chapman to score in the 26th minute.NSW coach Ewen McKenzie got the win he wanted in South Africa but admitted his side has plenty to work on after struggling in the line-outs and particularly from kick-offs against the former Golden Cats.The Waratahs arrived in South Africa just two days before the game, but did not appear to be unduly affected by the potential pitfalls of jet lag, fatigue and altitude and scored three tries to one in wet conditions.Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock with 10 points from a try, a conversion and a penalty steered the Brumbies to victory over the Chiefs.The Chiefs were left with a consolation bonus point and the thought of pondering what might have been after outscoring the Brumbies 3-2 in the try stakes but Stephen Donald had a woeful night with the boot.In a reminder of previous years’ form, the under-achieving Chiefs were in touch with the Brua scrappy first half, fell one point behind only to hit back with two tries against the Stormers.Sharks winger JP Pietersen scored two tries, one in each half, to help his side to an impressive 17-3 win over last year’s semi-finalists the Bulls.Nampa-AFPWellington, who lost to the Crusaders in last year’s final, fell 25-16 to Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday, also were hamstrung by the absence of their key All Blacks.New Zealand coach Graham Henry has barred 22 All Blacks from the first seven Super 14 matches this year while they undergo a World Cup conditioning program.Otago Highlanders were the only other opening weekend Kiwi winners along with Auckland as they edged out the strengthened Western Force 8-7 in Perth last Friday.While the Force failed to deliver on their costly off-season recruitment, other Australian franchises launched their campaigns with wins.New South Wales Waratahs, runners-up to the Crusaders two seasons ago, made light of their late arrival in South Africa to down the Lions in Johannesburg’s high altitude in a 25-16 win, while two-time winners ACT Brumbies registered a 21-15 away win over the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.Central Cheetahs outclassed Western Stormers 27-9 in an all-South Africa match to lead on points differential after the opening weekend, ahead of the Coastal Sharks who downed the Northern Bulls 17-3 in Durban.The Crusaders, missing star flyhalf Dan Carter and inspirational skipper Richie McCaw, shared six tries with the Blues in a fast match but the home side dominated possession in key passages and played with more purpose.The Blues enjoyed 57 percent of possession and won the rucks and mauls by a margin of nearly two to one while the Crusaders missed 25 tackles to the Blues’ 10.In Brisbane, rugby league converts Clinton Schifcofske and Berrick Barnes starred in Queensland’s grinding win over the Hurricanes, also missing their All Blacks.Both teams scored a try in an attritional game with fullback Schifcofske, signed from Australia’s National Rugby League in the off-season, proving the difference with five penalty goals and a conversion, while flyhalf Barnes was instrumental in the Reds’ sole try, kicking across field for lock Mitchell Chapman to score in the 26th minute.NSW coach Ewen McKenzie got the win he wanted in South Africa but admitted his side has plenty to work on after struggling in the line-outs and particularly from kick-offs against the former Golden Cats.The Waratahs arrived in South Africa just two days before the game, but did not appear to be unduly affected by the potential pitfalls of jet lag, fatigue and altitude and scored three tries to one in wet conditions.Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock with 10 points from a try, a conversion and a penalty steered the Brumbies to victory over the Chiefs.The Chiefs were left with a consolation bonus point and the thought of pondering what might have been after outscoring the Brumbies 3-2 in the try stakes but Stephen Donald had a woeful night with the boot.In a reminder of previous years’ form, the under-achieving Chiefs were in touch with the Brua scrappy first half, fell one point behind only to hit back with two tries against the Stormers.Sharks winger JP Pietersen scored two tries, one in each half, to help his side to an impressive 17-3 win over last year’s semi-finalists the Bulls.Nampa-AFP