So Super Rugby has started. We’ve got some new teams and a new conference system. Here’s something else new…FOREIGN EXCHANGES…a weekly segment that reviews all the Super Rugby games where an Australian team didn’t play.
Blues 33 – Highlanders 31
by Lee Grant
This was a fitting overture to the 2016 Super Rugby season as the match went down to the wire in a game of high skill before an ecstatic home crowd.
In a first half that commentator Jeff Wilson said was “Super bang-bang” the defending champions, the Highlanders, scored three tries to two.
Ben Smith registered the first after several pick and goes by the Clan and the Blues returned serve after a brave cross-kick from first-five West was collected by Visinia and dished to Nani to score.
Flanker Gibson, a rising star for the Blues, scored next but the Highlanders racked up a double through Walden and Naholo to put the Highlanders ahead 24-20 at the break.
The second half was more prosaic.
The substitutions of new Blues coach Tana Umaga worked a treat and following penalty goals his team led 26-24 with 18 minutes left. After Highlander Osborne was binned at 70 minutes, Blues’ lock Tuipulotu scored an “any reason why not” try.
They looked home and hosed leading 33-24 with seven minutes remaining but the Highlanders scored a brilliant ensemble try from a lineout 60 metres out to get within two points.
But it was too late.
ESPN match details here
Chiefs 27 – Crusaders 21
by Scott Rea
Most of the first half was played between the 22s with a lot of midfield bombs. After half-time, the game opened up.
After 29 minutes, Aaron Cruden made a break from his own 22 to the Crusaders’ 10 metre line. Fonotia was lucky not to see yellow after taking out a support runner.
32 minutes in, the Chiefs scored the first try. Seu took a bomb & McKenzie put in a long kick where Stevenson stripped the ball from Havili & waltzed over for the try.
The Crusaders had a massive scrum against the feed on half-time resulting in a try to Richie Mo’unga to give the Crusaders a 13-8 lead.
After 45 minutes, Chiefs’ centre Tamanivalu reached out from the ground to score.
Havili scored next for the Crusaders, following a line out and maul which may not have been in keeping with the new laws. Crusaders 18-15
After 65 minutes, Chiefs’ fullback Damian McKenzie scored a try after a great run from Lienert-Brown.
Cane scored from a lineout with 3 minutes to go for a 6 point Chiefs’ lead (may also not have been within the new laws).
The Crusaders won the ball from kickoff, but knocked on shortly after.
ESPN match details here
Sharks 43 – Kings 8
by Dru Spork
Sharks 11: Mvovo, 95kg, 86 caps. Kings 11: Jaer, 72kg, nil caps. Explains it all really.
The Kings survived, and possibly won, the heat in the opening period. A Sharks’ penalty at the 21st minute was reversed due to repeated infringements (in this instance an arm around the throat after the whistle).
The Sharks worked territory kicking well, especially in the first 20. But the Kings scored first, with a try to Cloete from a drive off a line-out at the 8 minute mark.
The Sharks quality soon set dominance. Du Preez and Esterhuizen had solid games. The game then settled into single phase play by the Kings, whereas the Sharks would run one or two phases in the forwards then go wide. Ball in hand intent was obvious and the big loose forwards held the train tracks.
At half-time the score was 15-8 in favour of the Sharks.
Pickie penalties and loose Sharks handling helped the Kings, but not enough to hamper a second half Shark try-fest.
The Sharks scored 5 in the second stanza and a total of 7 tries in the match.
The bonus-point win puts the Sharks at the top of the combined Super Rugby ladder, along with the Lions, Stormers, Waratahs and Brumbies.
ESPN match details here
Stormers 33 – Bulls 9
by Jack Colley
The Stormers have kicked off their season in style with a dominant second half in their win at Newlands.
The Bulls went on the attack early in the first, with an intercepted kick and some footwork from Springbok Jesse Kriel giving the Bulls chances inside the Stormers’ 22. However, without the guidance of the injured Handre Pollard, the Bulls failed to capitalise on territory and were left with only three points.
It was a penalty goal affair until half-time, with the TMO called in to determine whether a Robert du Preez penalty after the bell had squeezed inside the sticks. It had, and the Stormers took a 12 – 6 lead.
The Bulls scored first after the break with another penalty, before the home team opened up with flyhalf du Preez dummying and squeezing through on the left edge for five before converting his own score.
It was all Stormers from this point on, with giant lock Eben Etzebeth crossing in the 64th minute for a 17 point lead, before a well executed long-range driving maul got reserve hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni off the nudie run list and gave the Stormers an all important bonus point.
ESPN match details here
Jaguares 34 – Cheetahs 33
The Jaguares came back from hell to record a win in their long-awaited Super Rugby debut. Read more…
Lions 26 – Sunwolves 13
In an historic day of rugby in Tokyo, the Lions over-powered the Sunwolves in an entertaining and competitive game. Read more…
Featured image courtesy of The Blues – others courtesy of Getty Images – thank you.
