New Zealand and South Africa’s top two teams all posted impressive wins to retain their place in the Super 14 top four as the semifinals draw closer.
The Hurricanes maintained their two-point lead at the top of the standings with a 45-27 thumping of the Auckland Blues in Wellington while the Waikato Chiefs also claimed maximum points with a 28-14 victory over the Stormers in Cape Town.
The two New Zealand sides play each other in Hamilton next week in a match which could decide top place with just two more rounds of the regular season to go.
The Bulls are third, albeit on points differential, after failing to collect a bonus point in their 32-29 win over Australia’s Western Force in Pretoria.
The Sharks held their place in the top four with a 23-15 win over the Otago Highlanders in Durban, their first win in a month after successive defeats and a bye.
The Bulls and the Sharks, who met in the final two years ago, play each other in the last round of the season, in a game that could decide one of the two home semifinalists should they both win next week.
The Sharks have a three-point gap over the congested chasing pack with five teams, the Waratahs, Crusaders, Brumbies, Blues and Force, all separated by just two points.
The Waratahs beat the Cheetahs 18-10 in Bloemfontein, the Crusaders defeated the Lions 32-20 in Johannesburg while the Brumbies thrashed Queensland 52-13 in Brisbane.
Tamati Ellison and Ma’a Nonu scored two tries each as the in-form Hurricanes racked up their fourth straight win of the season in a free-flowing game.
”We’re actually quite disappointed,” Hurricanes captain Rodney So’oialo said. ”We’re happy with the five points but it was pretty unstructured.
Scrumhalf Toby Moreland crossed twice for the Chiefs but it was a try from centre Richard Kahui three minutes from fulltime that secured the bonus point that lifted them into second place.
The bonus point was the least of the Bulls concerns as they had to draw on all their experience just to beat the Force.
The Australians outscored the home side four tries to three but the Bulls snuck home on the boot of Morne Steyn, who landed four penalties and a conversion.
The Sharks, who were briefly reduced to 13 men in the second half after Rory Kockott was sent off and Keegan Daniel sinbinned, won a scrappy match with the Highlanders and play the Waratahs next week. – Reuters