Welcome to to Round 15 of Foreign Exchanges which keeps track of Super Rugby games not involving Aussies teams.
It’s getting down to the wire in all Conferences and two games we covered were of top importance.
Super Rugby came to Fiji for the first time as the Chiefs elected to play a home game in Suva, against the Crusaders. The Chiefs had stumbled in Sydney last time out, but could overtake the Super Rugby leaders with a good win. But the Crusaders had won ten of their last eleven.
The Lions were looking like the top dog South African team, let alone the best in their Conference and could qualify for the quarter-finals with a win; so it was a must-win game for the Sharks.
Both had won three on the trot.
Fijian rugby fans – happy to be watching Super Rugby, live.
Chiefs 21 – Crusaders 13
by Brent Craig
The Chiefs have retaken the lead in the New Zealand Conference with a mix of brawn and brains against a Crusaders’ side who showed plenty of the former but not enough of the latter.
The Crusaders dominated possession and territory in the first half despite playing against the wind and rain. But poor handling and breakout tries to Chiefs’ wing James Lowe and half-back Brad Weber gave them a handy lead before the Crusaders struck back late with one of their own—through wing Jone Macilai—to trail 10-17 at the break.
The second 40 was rinse-and-repeat, but without the tries. The Crusaders turned down all but one kickable penalty for lineout drives that never looked like succeeding, while the Chiefs defended resolutely, counter-attacked strongly at every opportunity, and twice took the three when available.
That Crusaders’ penalty seemed to have salvaged a losing bonus point with six minutes remaining but the smiling assassin, Damian McKenzie, slotted one for the Chiefs after the siren to deny them.
Final score: Chiefs 23 – Crusaders 13.
The Crusaders had enough possession and territory to have won this but were undone by outstanding Chiefs’ defence and counter-attack, as much as by their own errors and poor decision-making.
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Kieran Read grabs James Lowe – scorer of a breakout try for the Chiefs
Hurricanes 37 – Blues 27
by a staff reporter
Briefly – it was typical ball-in-hand Kiwi attack and counter-attack.
The teams alternated in scoring and after 25 minutes Kara Pryor (Blues), Reg Goodes (Hurricanes), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Dane Coles and Kaino (again) had scored in a helter-skelter game that had too much ice cream and not enough meat and potatoes.
It was like watching a tennis match with players returning serve: the Blues led 24-17 and that was the score at half-time.
After the break the teams even swapped penalties in turn, but Beaudan Barrett broke the sequence with the second goal in a row for the Hurricanes. The Blues still led but now by only 27-23 and when Vaea Fifita scored a try at 55 minutes, and it was converted, the Hurricanes were in front 30-27.
The next 15 minutes was like an arm-wrestle at high speed and the killer blow came nine minutes before the end when Fifita got his second for the ‘Canes.
The teams had flashy backs but the piggies scored all the tries. Barrett was like Dead-Eyed Dick from the kicking tee scoring seven out of seven.
Final score: Hurricanes 37 – Blues 27.
Ofa Tu’ungafasi meets Dan Coles
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Lions 37 – Sharks 10
by dru
The Lions rock! They become the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals
Andre Esterhuizen was a late injury withdrawal and Paul Jordan left the field in the first five minutes, leaving the Sharks without their first-choice mid-field.
The Lions ran expressively though the Sharks pushed the envelope with a flat aggressive defence. When the Lions attack gained ground it was entertaining, when they were pushed backwards there were chips, grubbers and kicks for tactical gain—a polished performance.
Tries to winger Combrinck, centre Van Rensburg and hooker Marx gave the Lions a bonus point advantage within 30 minutes and there was another try, to Ackerman (8), just before half time.
The Shark bench was brought on ten minutes into the second half but 34,000 Lions fans were already singing. Lions’ coach Ackerman used his bench with the advantage already gained.
The last 30 minutes were advantage Sharks, who scored their first try when 0-37 down. Winger Mvovo went over as did reserve hooker Ralepelle.
Openside flanker Jaco Kriel, who replaced the iconic Warren Whiteley as captain, was the deserved man of he match with his hard running.
The Sharks were good, the Lions very good. The Lions are looking impressive with the finals coming up.
Courtnall Skosan gets uplifting experience from JP Pietersen
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Highlanders 48 – Kings 18
by “Ozee316”
With steam rising from their heads the teams descended on Mandela Bay Stadium on a cold Saturday night after the June international break. The first half was a tight scrappy affair with both teams kicking the ball as much as possible.
The first try went to the Highlanders through speedster Matt Faddes (15) finding a path through poor defence after a weighted pass from halfback Te Aihe Toma (9). Just before the half the game came to life with a brilliant build-up from the Kings resulting in impressive right winger Wandile Mjekevu scoring,
Half time score 10-8 Highlanders.
Faddes scored from a bounce pass and Dan Pryor (21) off a maul for a scoreline of 20-10 Highlanders, 15 minutes after the break. The Kings replied emphatically, brilliantly sweeping 60 metres upfield for lock Stephen Sykes to score.
It was game on at 20-18, but the Highlanders went up a gear in the final 16 minutes and scored four unanswered tries to: Wilson (14) off a brilliant Patrick Osborne (23) offload, Osborne from a nifty Sopoaga (10) cross-kick, and two more – for a hat-trick for slick Faddes’, and for replacement prop Aki Seuli, after the siren.
Tom Botha of the Kings passes the ball
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Jaguares 29 – Bulls 11
by Scott Rea
Buenos Aires greeted the Jaguares and Bulls with 13 degrees and rain, which led to some handling errors, but not as many as you would expect in the conditions.
But it meant that plenty of hard work was required from the forwards. The errors led to a number of scrums which were relatively even but Los Jaguares were able to disrupt three Bulls’ lineout throws.
After trading penalty goals Pablo Matera (6) scored the first try in the 14th minute a few phases after a creative cross-field chip from Nicolas Sanchez (10).
Skipper Agustin Creevy (2) scored the Jaguares’ second try at 21 minutes following a running maul from a lineout on the 22 metre line.
Half time – Jaguares 15 – Bulls 6
In the 55th minute Creevy repeated the dose from a driving maul.
Piet van Zyl (21) scored a good try for the Bulls in the 59th minute with a darting run, a hurdle, recovering from the ground after a tackle wasn’t complete, and sliding over the line.
However, after half time the Jaguares looked like a possessed team with a committed effort, never looked like losing the match and thoroughly deserved victory.
Augustin Creevy – Captain Courageous – hard to stop in traffic
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Statistics courtesy of Opta Sports and NZ Herald
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