Chiefs 24 – 31 Crusaders
This, to me, was the best game of the weekend.
Played in front of a very good crowd in Suva Fiji, the game got off to a fast start as has been the norm for NZ derbies. There was some niggle early on but the game delivered exceptional displays of tactical kicking by both Aaron Cruden for the Chiefs and Mo’Unga for the crusaders, however; Cruden seemed to have left his boots in the dressing room when kicking for goal.
The first try came through Tim-Nanai Williams in the 20th minute after a break through centrefield by Cruden.
Cruden was involved in the second try a few minutes later once more as he made a floating kick toward the touchline which then bounced awkwardly and Bridge couldn’t gather. Lowe raced and dribbled the ball ahead and crossed the line.
Not long after and the Crusaders duly replied with Jack Goodhue, ever impressive throughout the game, cutting through the Chiefs defense and released the ball from the tackle to Bedwell-Curtis who ran in easily afterwards.
Kane Hames scored one in the trenches once again just minutes afterwards for the Chiefs which pay tribute to the quality of game this was.
In the second half Mo’Unga collected a chip kick from Cruden and the ball was spread to Tamanivalu who ran to suck in his defender before floating a pass to Goodhue who was somehow hauled in by McKenzie who tracked back all the way from where he had intended to catch Cruden’s kick but Goodhue managed to offload to Havili who scored in the corner.
Mo’Unga broke the line after selling a dummy in the next try by the Crusaders and moments later Ben Funnell was over in the other corner as the game approached the 60 min mark.
The Chiefs hit back with a try in the last 10 mins of the game off a scrum and quick ball to Cruden who darted over.
The Crusaders won 24-31 thanks to four penalties and two conversions added through the boot of Mo’Unga throughout the game whilst Cruden and McKenzie added a conversion each for the Chiefs.
Tries Chiefs: Tim Nanai-Williams, James Lowe, Kane Hames, Aaron Cruden.
Tries Crusaders: Heiden Bedwell-Curis, David Kaetau Havili, Ben Funnell.
Highlights:
Stormers 30 – 22 Blues
This game produced some questionable calls from the referee when in the 12th minute, with the Stormers attacking, Matt Duffy was yellow carded for being offside with the referee penalising him after the Blues had conceded a fourth consecutive penalty.
The Stormers kept attacking and after three consecutive failed attempts at crossing the line the Blues turned the ball over and it looked like the Stormers wouldn’t be winning this one.
A few minutes later Sonny Bill Williams put Melani Nanai into space and he broke away surging up field. Two rucks later on the Stormers’ tryline and that man Etzebeth was at it again in the coalface of things provoking all and sundry and ultimately receiving some intervention from Sonny Bill and receiving his marching orders to the bin for 10 minutes.
The Blues pounced on this opportunity immediately with George Moala scoring underneath the posts in the 22nd minute.
Just over 10 minutes later and Faumuina delivered a deft little pass over to James Parsons who scored in the right-hand corner with Etzebeth raring to get back onto the pitch yet. When he returned after the try he would end up making notable contributions to the Stormers’ cause.
The Stormers scored their first try through captain Siya Kolisi in the dying minutes of the first half by opting for a kick to the line rather than taking the penalty. Shaun Treeby surged from the resulting ball and gave a turn-pass to Leyds who looked for all money to have scored against the posts but it wasn’t to be. Kolisi just about fell over the line from that ruck.
Shortly into the second half and Blake Gibson scores after some really good work by Sonny Bill Williams once more and Piers Francis converts taking the Blues into a 10-19 lead.
Leyds would eventually score after the Blues had been called on for being offside again by tapping from the resulting penalty in a questionable position and falling over the line.
Approaching the last 10 minutes of the game De Allende is held in a tackle but offloads to a flying SP Marais who gives the ball to Kolbe but he is caught from behind. Matt Duffy, still in motion attempting to cover dives over Kolbe as he is on the ground and receives another questionable second yellow – meaning he would be off for good until the end of the game.
De Allende would barge underneath Sonny Bill toward the tryline with Notshe just getting over subsequently.
The Stormers ended up winning 30 – 22 having taken more 3 pointers and converting all of their tries.
Tries Stormers: Siya Kolisi, Dillyn Leyds, Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Tries Blues: George Moala, James Parsons, Blake Gibson
Highlights:
Hurricanes 61 – 7 Cheetahs
Well, what can be said here other than that the Cheetahs simply went on holiday and left all the gates open in a nine-to-one try demolition job imposed on them by the Hurricanes.
It took nearly a quarter of the game for the Hurricanes to score through seemingly ever-increasing fumbles by the Cheetahs in their own 22 this season. Once that happened the floodgates opened completely and the Hurricanes ran their second try before some reprieve when Zeilinga scored the Cheetahs’ only try sandwiched between the two before and the seven to follow from the Hurricanes.
They would end up cantering home with Vince Aso scoring a hat trick, 5 Beauden Barret conversions and three more from Otere Black.
The Cheetahs have some serious work to do on their defence, but the worrying sign for them is that it is being said after every game.
Tries Hurricanes: Vaea Fifita, Vince Aso (3), Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Ben Lam, Leni Apisai
Tries Cheetahs: Fred Zeilinga
Highlights:
Sunwolves 17 – 38 Sharks
This time the Sunwolves were at their second base in Singapore hosting the Sharks in what was a fairly enjoyable game. As has been the norm this season between themselves and South African opposition it took a great deal of effort for the Sharks to break them down.
The Sharks were in over the line early with a pinpoint pass from Reinach releasing Mvovo who scored in the corner very early on, but the Sunwolves hit back through Takeshi Hino who barged over the line from close range in the 19th minute.
It didn’t take long for the Sharks to restore their lead through a maul close to the line as Ruan Botha fell over.
Next up Fukuoaka fielded an attacking kick from Reinach and returned it and the Sharks countered through a good little dink down the side by Garth April but the ball was lost forward in the offload attempt and then the Sunwolves had their chance to counter, but just as the sharks they fumbled and Am pounced on the loose ball and delivered it to Sibusiso Nkosi who had too much pace for the opposition and scored under the posts.
The half ended 7 – 21 in the Sharks’ favour.
Just after 50 mins into the game and Tenaka delivered a nice waited and precise pass to Shuhei Matsuhashi who had no trouble with the defence.
The Sharks put the game to bed in the last 10 minutes with a nice offload from replacement lock Etienne Oosthuizen to Mvovo for his second try. Nkosi scored through a nice counter attack just minutes later and Mvovo received a sublime offload from Jean-Luc du Preez in the 80th to get his hat trick for the night.
Tries Sunwolves: Takeshi Hino, Shuhei Matsuhashi
Tries Sharks: Lwazi Mvovo (3), Ruan Botha, Sibusiso Nkosi (2)
Highlights:
Lions 51 – 14 Bulls
As the scoreline suggests, the Lions were significantly better than the Bulls, but at least they kept the score down in the second half by conceding only 12 points and perhaps that is due to the Lions not playing direct enough as they were exuding extreme confidence and tried all sorts of things.
The Lions scored early when Ruan Combrinck received the ball and made a run, chipping over the defence and regathering – and this with his first touch of the ball in the 2nd minute of the game having been a late inclusion.
Minutes later the Bulls ran a set-piece move later referred to a move from Eddie Jones’ book by Nick Mallet for Jan Serfontein’s try.
Jantjies then kicked a probing kick which bounced for Skosan to collect who made a good run before letting go to Whiteley who gave it to Kwagga Smith to score. Jantjies marshalled the game very well for the Lions throughout and Kwagga Smith was to receive the official man of the match for a number of turnovers.
Then Jantjies opened up for Franco Mostert who raged up the field and bid his time in delivering a great offload for Ruan Dreyer to run in a memorable try. Jessie Kriel did well afterwards for the Bulls by showing strength in bursting through a tackle to score.
In the 31st minute I saw one of the most bizarre things ever when Warren Whitely charged down a clearance kick from Rudy Paige and dove over the ball. He shook his head and told the ref he hadn’t scored but the ref said he wanted to check just in case. Turns out he did score and he had his customary smile on his face when looking at the replay. Ruan Combrink was over next in the same spot he scored his first try with the Lions breaking down the Bulls’ defence.
That was 39 – 14 to the Lions in the first half and they would add only two tries in the second with a try from short range by Mostert and then a break down the side by Mapoe who gave it to Andries Coetzee who gave it to Nel who gave it back to Mapoe to score.
Tries Lions: Ruan Combrinck (2), Kwagga Smith, Ruan Dreyer, Warren Whiteley, Franco Mostert, Lionel Mapoe.
Tries Bulls: Jan Serfontein, Jessie Kriel
Highlights:
