Bulls still tops in Super 14

WELLINGTON – South Africa’s Bulls retained their lead of the Super 14 rugby standings after weekend third round matches in which all five New Zealand teams were winners four with four-try bonus points.

Defending champions the Bulls took maximum points from a 48-38 win over the New South Wales Waratahs to stay one point ahead of the Waikato Chiefs and Wellington Hurricanes, who are the only other unbeaten teams after three rounds.Waikato took a bonus point from its 37-19 win over Australia’s Western Force, ending a three-match road trip undefeated, while Wellington scored four tries in a 33-18 win over South Africa’s Lions.The Canterbury Crusaders bounced back from a second round loss to the Queensland Reds with a 35-6 win over the Sharks, while the Auckland Blues beat Queensland 27-18, by four tries to two, for their second win in three games.The Otago Highlanders posted their first win of the season, scoring three tries to beat South Africa’s Cheetahs 31-24.The ACT Brumbies beat the Stormers 19-17 in Cape Town leaving the Bulls the only South African team to win in the third round.The Bulls overcame an early 17-point deficit to beat the Waratahs at Pretoria and extend their winning streak at home to 13 games.Tatafu Polota-Nau and Ben Mowen scored early tries for New South Wales. But the Bulls hit back with two tries from Francois Hougaard and one each from Stephan Dippenaar, Gerhard van den Heever, Wynand Olivier and Jacques-Louis Potgieter.Bulls No. 10 Morne Steyn produced a flawless kicking display with six conversions and two penalties, taking his points tally for the season to 79.All Blacks winger Zac Guildford scored two tries in the Crusaders win. Canterbury led 16-6 with nine minutes to play, then seized a four try bonus point with late tries from Guildford, and replacements Adam Whitelock and Quentin MacDonald.The Crusaders were boosted by the return of All Blacks lock Brad Thorn to their starting XV and New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, who took the field as a second half replacement.All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter kicked 13 points to lift his career tally in Super rugby to 960, moving into third place on the all-time list ahead of Australia’s Matt Burke.Wellington Hurricanes captain Andrew Hore scored a brilliant solo try in the 50th minute to help his team to the win over the Lions.Hore burst from a ruck 30 meters from the Lions’ goalline, fended one player and beat two others to give the Hurricanes a crucial 13-point lead. The Lions had closed within six points, 21-15, with a 48th-minute penalty and Hore’s try gave the Hurricanes breathing space.Former All Blacks winger Lelia Masaga returned from injury to score a pivotal try in the Waikato Chiefs’ victory over the Western Force. Masaga pounced on a lost lineout throw to clinch his team’s third straight win and to leave the Force winless from three games.Force captain Nathan Sharpe said errors continued to cost his team dearly.Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen missed a conversion after the final hooter to end his team’s unbeaten start to the season and hand ACT a win at Cape Town.Wallabies flanker George Smith intercepted a pass from prop Brok Harris and scored under the posts to break a 12-12 deadlock with three minutes remaining.The Stormers immediately forced a penalty, set up an attacking lineout near the goalline and created a try for flanker Pieter Louw after the final hooter. But Pietersen’s sideline conversion attempt hooked left and the Brumbies celebrated their first win in Cape Town since 2004.Anthony Boric, Alby Mathewson, Rene Ranger and Rudi Wulf scored tries for the Auckland Blues who overcame a 13-8 halftime deficit to beat the Queensland Reds.Flyhalf Michael Hobbs scored his fourth try in three matches to clinch the Otago Highlanders’ first win over the season over the Cheetahs at Bloemfontein.- Nampa-AP