Chiefs new leaders in Super 14

SYDNEY – New Zealand’s Waikato Chiefs are the new leaders of rugby’s Super 14 after a comfortable win in South Africa, boosted by a second straight loss for the former front-runners Coastal Sharks.

The Chiefs powered to the top of the southern hemisphere provincial championship on points differential with their sixth consecutive win, a convincing 28-10 victory against the bottom-dwelling Central Cheetahs.
The Sharks relinquished top spot when they bumbled to a 13-10 loss at home to the defending champion Canterbury Crusaders.
South Africa’s Northern Bulls and the Wellington Hurricanes of New Zealand are two points away in joint third place after contrasting weekend fortunes.
The Bulls picked up two bonus points after being pipped 32-31 in the final minutes by the ACT Brumbies in Canberra, while the Hurricanes blew away South Africa’s Western Stormers in a bonus-point 34-11 canter at home.
The Auckland Blues and NSW Waratahs are next on 28 points after the Blues ended the Otago Highlanders’ winning run with a 26-6 victory, while the Waratahs stumbled to a 15-14 loss at home to the Western Force.
The Brumbies and seven-time champion Crusaders are still in the hunt for next month’s playoffs on 27 and 26 points respectively, while the Force (23) and Highlanders (22) are still an outside chance.
South Africa’s Golden Lions moved to 11th place after downing the Queensland Reds 31-20 in Brisbane.
The Chiefs maintained their free-flowing form to down the Cheetahs in Kimberley three tries to one, despite trailing 7-6 at halftime.
The Cheetahs were coming off their 31-6 upset of the Sharks the previous week, but the Chiefs underlined their title claims with a new record of six consecutive wins since their last loss on February 28.
The Crusaders, who lost three of their opening four games this campaign, climbed to eighth position and are ominously just three points out of the top four with a crucial win over the Sharks in Durban.
Bloodied Crusaders skipper Richie McCaw saluted the character of his team after once again proving a bogey team for the Sharks, who have won only three of their 15 Super encounters.
‘It is always very tough in Durban and although we have a fantastic record against the Sharks, it does not help you out there on the pitch,’ said McCaw, who was making his comeback from a knee injury.
‘We arrived in South Africa wanting to win three games and are off to a good start,’ he said.
The Sharks have lost their last two games and will be inactive next weekend, leaving them with three remaining home games against the Highlanders, Waratahs and Bulls to fight for a berth in the playoffs.
The Brumbies denied the Bulls with a converted try in the final three minutes to keep alive their playoff hopes, but the Pretoria side picked up two points.
The Bulls claimed one bonus point for scoring four tries and another for finishing within seven points to complete their five-match Australasian tour with 11 competition points.
The Hurricanes picked up a valuable bonus point as they eased past the Stormers, while the Blues stayed in the hunt for the playoffs with a bonus-point, four-try victory over the Highlanders that ended Otago’s three-game winning streak.
The Western Force may have ended the Waratahs’ hopes of reaching the finals with their first win over them in four attempts.
The Waratahs, who at one time led this year’s competition, have now dropped out of the top four ahead of a bye next week and a testing three-game tour of South Africa.
The Lions saw off the Queensland Reds despite playing two men down for nine minutes in the second half.
– Nampa-AFP