Mat Rogers inspired New South Wales to a 25-7 win over Waikato, and Auckland opened the 2005 Super 12 series on Friday with a dominating 30-14 win over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin.
Waratahs fullback Rogers, one of Australia’s best attackers, missed most of the previous Super 12 rugby season with an injured ankle. He made amends with a try and a hand in three others on Friday as New South Wales picked up a bonus point for scoring four tries against the Chiefs.
Shrugging off a minor hip problem, Rogers scored himself and set up tries for Morgan Turinui and Lote Tuqiri as the Waratahs took a 17-0 at half-time at home in the Sydney Football Stadium.
The only downside to his game was an off night with the boot, landing just one goal from seven attempts.
Turinui opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he grabbed a chip kick from Rogers and crossed under the posts.
Rogers picked up a half-volley in the 22nd minute and twice kicked ahead before regathering to score out wide.
He sent Tuqiri in for a try a minute before half-time, sparking the raid from 35m out before finding his winger with an over-the-shoulder pass.
Turinui scored his second try with 15 minutes remaining to seal the result and the bonus point before the Chiefs got a consolation try four minutes from the end via winger Sosene Anesi.
All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu scored the first try of the Super 12 rugby union season and helped Auckland, a three-time champion, to their first win at Dunedin since 1997.
Gibson scored from a charge down in the second half and skipper Xavier Rush scored the third of the Blues’ tries after an outside break from All Blacks speedster Joe Rokocoko. Luke McAlister kicked six goals from as many attempts for the Blues.
”We really wanted to start the season off well after last year when we trailed the pack, and we wanted to make sure we don’t leave ourselves too much work to do at the end of the season,” Rush said.
”The rugby wasn’t great at times but it’s early in the easy season. Both teams were probably feeling each other out, so you have to make allowances,” he said.
The Blues led 13-6 at half-time on Mealamu’s try and two penalties from McAlister, and extended the margin to 14 points when Gibson crossed three minutes after the break.
The match marked a milestone for Highlanders captain and former All Blacks hooker Anton Oliver, who became the first New Zealander to play 100 Super 12 matches.
”When I first started playing for Otago in 1994, rugby was amateur and there was no Super 12,” Oliver said. ”I was reserve that season but I thought how great it would be to reach 100 games. I’m really proud to have got there and I’m really proud to be a Highlander.”
The opening weekend continues on Friday with the Stormers hosting the Sharks in a South African derby at Cape Town.
On Saturday, defending champions the ACT Brumbies meet Canterbury, Queensland are at home to the Wellington and the Cats host the Bulls in Johannesburg. — Sapa-AP