Most Popular Sports
All Sports
Show All

HIGHLIGHTS-Rugby-Super Rugby week one

ByReuters

Published 25/02/2017 at 19:50 GMT

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Highlights from week one of Super Rugby:

Eurosport

Image credit: Eurosport

STORMERS 37 BULLS 24
A frenetic North-South derby in South Africa was won by the home side as they ran in five tries to four in a game played at an unrelenting pace from start to finish.
The Stormers led 24-0 at the break after a dominant first- half performance that yielded tries for fullback SP Marais, wingers Cheslin Kolbe and number eight Nizaam Carr, before they added two more in the second period via new skipper Siya Kolisi and Dillyn Leyds.
The Bulls rallied after the break and were much improved. They scored tries through number eight Hanro Liebenberg (two), prop Pierre Schoeman and scrumhalf Piet van Zyl.
READ MORE
Stormers too strong for bullied Bulls at Newlands
Lions grab late win after Janse van Rensburg double
Crusaders eke out tight victory over Brumbies
Hurricanes run in 13 tries to crush Sunwolves
Chiefs end losing streak to Highlanders
Super start for Ioane as Blues crush Rebels
Jaguares name new halfback pair against Kings
Foley ruled out of Super Rugby opener
INTERVIEW-Mature Kolisi ready to lead Stormers
PREVIEW-Second year promises more NZ success
KINGS 26 JAGUARES 39
Argentina's Jaguares proved too powerful for South Africa's Southern Kings but fell short of a bonus-point win at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Tries from scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou, number eight Leonardo Senatore and fullback Joaquin Tuculet tipped the game in the favour of the visitors, but they will be disappointed at having passed up the opportunity of an extra point after finishing the match with 13 players following two yellow cards.
The Kings were in the game at halftime as they trailed 19-12, but allowed the Jaguares to score the next 20 points before tries from winger Makazole Mapimpi and centre Luzuko Vulindlu brought some respectability to the scoreline.
CHEETAHS 25 LIONS 28
Last year's beaten finalists the Lions got their campaign off to a winning start with a gritty victory over the Cheetahs on Saturday.
Centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg scored two tries, including a match-winning effort in the corner late on after the Lions had also been awarded a penalty-try when their hosts collapsed a rampaging maul.
The Cheetahs managed to stay in the game after that and led with five minutes to go as flyhalf Fred Zeiling kicked the last of his 20 points, but they could not hold on and suffered suffer a sixth straight defeat to the Lions.
WARATAHS 19 WESTERN FORCE 13
A try from lock Will Skelton just after the break and a fourth penalty of the night from Reece Robinson helped the 2014 champions to overturn a halftime deficit and start the new campaign with a victory on Saturday.
A try and two penalties from former Waratahs back Jonno Lance had given the Force, who finished bottom of the Australian conference last year, a 13-9 lead at halftime.
The greasy conditions at a rain-soaked Sydney Football Stadium contributed to a hard-fought but mostly uninspiring Australian derby.
CRUSADERS 17 BRUMBIES 13
Pete Samu's second-half try proved the difference between the sides as the Canterbury Crusaders beat Australia's ACT Brumbies 17-13 in Christchurch on Saturday.
Seta Tamanivalu and Whetu Douglas also went over for the home side, with Richie Mo'unga adding a conversion as the determined Crusaders recorded their seventh successive victory over the Canberra-based side.
Lock Rory Arnold scored an early second-half try for the Brumbies, while flyhalf Wharenui Hawera added two penalties and a conversion.
SUNWOLVES 17 HURRICANES 83
Ardie Savea, Vince Aso and Michael Fatialofa scored two tries each as the Wellington Hurricanes humiliated Japan's Sunwolves with a Super Rugby record victory.
Last year's champions scored 13 tries in total as they destroyed the hosts in front of a large crowd at Prince Chichibu Stadium. Flyhalf Otere Black added nine conversions.
Ricky Riccitelli, Brad Shields, Blade Thomson, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Ngani Laumape and Wes Goosen all crossed, with Sunwolves fullback Riaan Viljoen, replacement Shokei Kin and number eight Willie Britz scoring consolation tries.
REDS 28 SHARKS 26
Samu Kerevi ran in two tries to help Queensland Reds squeeze past Sharks in a tense and physical contest at Lang Park.
Quade Cooper missed several shots at goal but tries from Kerevi, Scott Higginbotham and James Tuttle ensured the Reds kicked off their campaign on a winning note.
The Sharks made a strong start and scored a couple of tries through Jean-Luc Du Preez and Tera Mtembu but could not really cash in on it when Kane Douglas and Karmichael Hunt were both sin-binned in the second half.
CHIEFS 24 HIGHLANDERS 15
James Lowe pounced on two wayward passes while Hika Elliot took advantage of a day-dreaming defence to give the Waikato Chiefs a victory over a wasteful Otago Highlanders side who lost All Blacks fullback Ben Smith to a head injury.
Winger Lowe intercepted first-half passes from All Blacks Aaron Smith and Waisake Naholo, while hooker Elliot finished a well-worked lineout move in the second as the Chiefs ended a six-game losing streak to the Highlanders dating back to 2014.
Flyhalf Lima Sopoaga slotted home five penalty goals for the home side, who are likely to be without co-captain Smith for at least next week's clash with the Canterbury Crusaders in Dunedin.
REBELS 18 BLUES 56
Teenage centre Rieko Ioane underlined his huge potential with a hat-trick of tries as the Auckland Blues demolished the Melbourne Rebels at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
The 19-year-old Ioane, who made his All Blacks debut against Italy in November, touched down once in the first half and twice after the break.
Pauliasi Manu, Matt Duffie, Augustine Pulu and Melani Nanai also crossed for the visitors in the seven-try rout as the Blues racked up a team-record points tally in Australia. (Compiled by Greg Stutchbury and Nick Said; Editing by John O'Brien and Ed Osmond)
Join 3M+ users on app
Stay up to date with the latest news, results and live sports
Download
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement