Last year’s beaten finalists Golden Lions are desperate to end a three-match losing streak and protect an impressive unbeaten run in local derbies
The Waikato Chiefs powered to their first ever Super Rugby title on Saturday with a sparkling 37-6 win over the Sharks in Hamilton.
The Waikato Chiefs move to the top of the Super Rugby table, benefiting from a daring plan by the Crusaders, who beat the Stormers.
The Highlanders look to extend their unbeaten start to the Super 15 in Wellington this weekend while defending champs Queensland Reds journey to SA.
Waikato Chiefs dealt another blow to the Auckland Blue’s title ambitions with a deserved 16-11 victory in a typically hard-fought clash.
Dan Carter celebrated his new All Blacks contract by kicking 20 points as the Canterbury Crusaders stifled the Waikato Chiefs 25-19 on Saturday.
The Chiefs overcame a 17-point half-time deficit and capitalised on a controversial penalty try and yellow card to upset the Stormers on Saturday.
The Canterbury Crusaders continued to set the pace in the Super 15 competition when they put away the Waikato Chiefs 34-16 on Friday.
Luke McAlister slotted a 72nd minute long-range penalty to give the Auckland Blues a tight 16-13 victory over the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.
Perennial Super Rugby strugglers the Highlanders continued their brilliant start to the season by beating the Chiefs 23-13 on Friday.
The New South Wales Waratahs put their campaign to reach the play-offs back on track with an emphatic 46-19 win over the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.
The Waikato Chiefs say fullback Mils Muliaina will be sidelined for up to eight weeks after breaking his thumb in a Super 14 match on Saturday.
Defending champions Northern Bulls and seven-time winners Canterbury Crusaders launched their title bids with opening weekend bonus-point victories.
The Bulls may have provided a foretaste of the international season ahead when they beat New Zealand’s Waikato Chiefs 61-17 on Saturday.
Mils Muliaina scored a decisive second-half try to lift the Chiefs to a 14-10 win over the Hurricanes on Friday and into the Super 14 final.
The Waikato Chiefs clinched a home semifinal in rugby’s Super 14 by beating the ACT Brumbies 10-7 on Friday to start the tense final round.
Only the Bulls are certain of competing in this season’s play-offs as the Super 14 series builds to a climax in next weekend’s final regular round.
The Bulls face their toughest challenge of the Super 14 when they host the high-flying Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
Winger Lelia Masaga scored an outstanding individual try 15 minutes from fulltime to give the Waikato Chiefs a 14-10 win over the Otago Highlanders.
The Chiefs scored tries in the first and last minutes to end their luckless start to the Super 14 season with a 31-13 win over the Force on Friday.
