Only four teams are unbeaten and South Africa’s Bulls lead the table after two rounds of the injury-hit Super 14 rugby tournament.
The Bulls’ 59-26, seven-try demolition of the Auckland Blues in Pretoria on Saturday gave them a perfect 10 points from two games, a one-point edge over the New South Wales Waratahs and ACT Brumbies and a
two-point break on the Sharks who share 2-0 records.
Six teams, including the defending champion Canterbury Crusaders, have 1-1 records after two rounds and four teams — the Waikato Chiefs, Otago Highlanders, Queensland Reds and South Africa’s Cheetahs — remain winless.
The Bulls have scored 11 tries in two home matches and have two further matches in South Africa, against the Lions and Stormers, before embarking on a five-match road trip.
Springboks flanker Pierre Spies scored two tries on Saturday, bringing his tally for the season to three, and flyhalf Morne Steyn contributed 20 points from three penalties, four conversions and a drop goal.
The Bulls raced to a 29-0 lead and were ahead 34-12 at halftime before the Blues rallied to take a four-try bonus point from a match in which 11 tries were scored.
”The boys did really well tonight. This is a still a good Blues side, so a win against them is pleasing,” Bulls captain Fourie du Preez said.
Injuries had a heavy impact on teams, including the Blues, Reds and Crusaders, which lost second-round matches.
The attrition rate was particularly high among captains. Of the New Zealand teams alone, the Hurricanes, Highlanders, Chiefs and Crusaders
were without regular captains while Blues skipper Keven Mealamu played with a limiting calf injury.
The Highlanders missed captain Jimmy Cowan and vice-captain Jamie Macintosh in their 22-17 loss to the Hurricanes, whose captain Rodney So’oialo missed the match because of a disciplinary suspension.
The Crusaders, who lost 18-16 to the Brumbies, were without All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and internationals Leon MacDonald and Brad Thorn.
The Chiefs, beaten 11-7 by the Waratahs, lost captain and All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina midweek to a back injury when he rose too quickly from his chair after a team meeting.
In addition, Queensland lost captain Berrick Barnes to a thigh injury on its way to a 27-24 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town.
The injury toll was particularly obvious in New Zealand where 15 All Blacks, including McCaw, Daniel Carter, MacDonald, Muliaina, hooker Andrew Hore, centres Conrad Smith and Richard Kahui, halfbacks Cowan
and Piri Weepu, locks Thorn and Ali Williams have missed early matches.
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said the high injury rate reflected the effects of an extended season.
”I think we are going to see a lot more of this unless something changes,” he said. ”Our top guys that play in the All Blacks … they just don’t get enough rest and recovery time. Something has got to change and change fast, because we are all losers out of this.”
Teams with selection stability have prospered in the first two rounds. The Waratahs and Brumbies, whose captains Phil Waugh and Stephen Ho. – Sapa-AP