The defending champion Canterbury Crusaders routed South Africa’s Bulls 35-17 and clinched semifinal berths for them and New South Wales in rugby’s Super 14 on Friday.
Wellington also confirmed a playoffs spot for the third time in four years when it escaped with a 26-22 home win over the Queensland Reds.
The Bulls’ defeat at Loftus Versfeld Stadium automatically advanced the New South Wales Waratahs to the semis, and left the ACT Brumbies able to clinch the final spot with the luxury of a draw against Otago on Saturday at Canberra.
Canterbury, which won a record fifth Super title last year, continued to set the pace this season until its title credentials were questioned by a mini-slump which included a draw against the last-placed Western Force and a surprise loss to South Africa’s Stormers last weekend.
With coach Robbie Deans again resting flanker and captain Richie McCaw, the Crusaders looked vulnerable at altitude against a Bulls outfit which had recently run over the Cats and Sharks to flame ambitions of reaching the semis for a second straight year.
But the Crusaders had Dan Carter back after a week’s break, and the All Blacks flyhalf bewildered the Bulls by having a hand in all of Canterbury’s points except for the first try.
By halftime, Carter had kicked 13 of his 15 points and set up the second try to Aaron Mauger for the Crusaders to lead 23-3. Carter also slipped into the buildup to the second-half tries by fullback Leon MacDonald and the second for flanker Tanerau Latimer, for a 35-3 margin heading into the last quarter.
”We were determined tonight to play much better than the last fortnight,” said Crusaders stand-in captain Reuben Thorne. ”We were much more intense on the ball.”
With the game won, the Crusaders’ intensity fell a notch and the Bulls’ pride allowed for consolation tries to captain Victor Matfield and replacement scrumhalf Heini Adams.
But Carter had the last say. Bulls centre JP Nel appeared to go over in a corner two minutes from the end until TV replays showed Carter’s tackle jolted the ball loose.
”We were outplayed in the first half,” said Matfield, ”and we just could not come back from that.”
At Wellington, Queensland scored three tries to two and were the better team, but lost for the ninth time this season.
The Hurricanes’ ninth win gave them the opportunity to travel to Sydney next weekend to play New South Wales for a home semifinal.
Most aspects of the Hurricanes’ play were permeated with errors and disorganisation, but the home side crept home with tries to All Blacks Tana Umaga and Jason Eaton, and 16 points to their goalkickers, David Holwell and Jimmy Gopperth.
”We prepared pretty well this week because we knew it was going to be a tough match,” said Hurricanes captain Rodney So’oialo. ”In the end we did what we set out to do. We had to work had but we came away with four points.”
The Reds played strongly, uniting in the forwards to press the Hurricanes into their own half and mounting repeated and dangerous raids through the backs. Winger Drew Mitchell, fullback Chris Latham and stand-in flyhalf Berrick Barnes played well.
Barnes scored 12 points from a try, two conversions and a penalty, while David Croft and John Roe also scored tries.
In Saturday’s other 13th-round matches, the Waikato Chiefs welcome the Waratahs, the Sharks and Stormers clash in Durban, and the Cheetahs play the Western Force, still chasing their first win of the season after consecutive draws with the Crusaders and Cats.
The Cats play the Auckland Blues in Johannesburg. – Sapa-AP