Super Rugby round-up: Hurricanes, Stormers, Chiefs, Crusaders and Rebels victorious
Last Updated: 24/03/18 10:35pm
Super Rugby is into week six! We'll have round-ups and highlights from all the games as and when they happen!
Here's how everything went....
Hurricanes 29-19 Highlanders
Hulking winger Ben Lam scored two tries as the Wellington Hurricanes beat the Otago Highlanders in a bruising New Zealand derby studded with moments of brilliance on Saturday to hand the visitors their first loss of the season.
Lam struck in the corner at the end of both halves and his efforts combined with a score from flyhalf Beauden Barrett and a spectacular finish from replacement back Vince Aso were enough to give the 2016 champions their third win in four matches.
Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo also grabbed a brace but the 2015 champions were unable to contain the high octane Hurricanes attack when it really got going after the break.
The four-try-to-two margin was not enough for a bonus point and so the Hurricanes will head into week seven second in the New Zealand conference behind the reigning champion Canterbury Crusaders.
Stormers 25-19 Reds
The Stormers held off a second-half fightback from the Reds to keep up their 100 percent home record in Super Rugby this season and inflict just a second defeat on their Australian visitors.
Teenage flyhalf Damian Willemse proved the catalyst for the win, providing a number of darting runs in another assured display that adds to his growing reputation.
Dewaldt Duvenage, Wilko Louw and Springbok wing Raymond Ruhle went over for the Cape side, who opened up an 18-0 lead but conceded tries either side of the halftime break to Caleb Timu and Alex Mafi.
Filipo Daugungu scored in the last minute for the Reds to make for a frenetic finish but they ran out of time at the end.
Sunwolves 10-61 Chiefs
The Waikato Chiefs blitzed the Sunwolves with four unanswered tries in the first 20 minutes and held off a brief comeback attempt to rack up their biggest ever Super Rugby win in Tokyo on Saturday.
Tries from locks Tyler Ardron and Brodie Retallick, hooker Nathan Harris and winger Solomon Alaimalo helped the New Zealanders to the early 28-0 lead at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.
Sunwolves wingers Semisi Masirewa and Hosea Saumaki crossed in seven minutes either side of the break to reduce the deficit to 28-10 but the Chiefs hit straight back through flyhalf Damian McKenzie before Alaimalo added his second.
McKenzie, who also kicked eight conversions, completed his own brace after 65 minutes and the Sunwolves were already destined for a fifth defeat in five matches this season before Liam Polwart and Sean Wainui added tries eight and nine.
Jaguares 49-35 Lions
Argentina's Jaguares notched their second success in six matches with a 49-35 victory over the 2017 runners-up, the Lions, taking the try count 6-5 in a pulsating match at Velez Sarsfield.
The Jaguares made a lightning start with a try by Bautista Delguy after one minute and scored two more in the first half through fellow wing Emiliano Boffelli and back row Javier Ortega Desio, who both scored again in the second half along with centre Bautista Ezcurra.
The Lions, with tries by lock Marvin Orie and wing Sylvian Mahuza during a spell midway through the first half when they held the lead, also had a two-try scorer in replacement forward Malcolm Marx and also scored through Lourens Erasmus.
Lions' Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies took his tournament tally to 63 points with five conversions, while his opposite number Nicolas Sanchez now has 57 after kicking 19 points.
On Friday, the Crusaders hosted South Africa's Bulls in New Zealand, while the Rebels welcomed the Sharks to Melbourne.
Here's how both games went...
Crusaders 33-14 Bulls
Marauding centre Jack Goodhue scored two tries as the Crusaders snapped a two-game losing streak with a bonus-point victory over South Africa's Bulls on a rain-soaked evening in Christchurch.
Lock Scott Barrett and hooker Codie Taylor had set the Super Rugby champions back on the path to winning ways before Goodhue crossed twice in 10 minutes either side of the break with winger George Bridge sealing the extra point close to the end.
The Bulls, who have shown much greater adventure this season under new coach John Mitchell, dominated possession for large parts of the match but were unable to make the most of it and slumped to a fourth straight defeat.
Winger Travis Ismaiel scored a brilliant individual try for the visitors after half an hour and replacement back Marco van Staden grabbed another with 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
Rebels 46-14 Sharks
A confident Melbourne Rebels side ran in six tries for a bonus point victory as they secured their maiden Super Rugby win over South Africa's Sharks at the sixth attempt on Friday.
Near identical scores from rolling mauls for hooker Anaru Rangi and number eight Amanaki Mafi helped the hosts to a 15-7 lead at half-time before Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia and centre Billy Meakes crossed after the break.
Reserve hooker Fereti Sa'aga showed blistering pace to send Ross Haylett-Petty over for the fifth try and added a score of his own in the last few seconds to assure the Rebels an impressive fourth win in five matches this season.
Lwazi Mvovo and Marius Louw scored tries for the Durban-based Sharks but the visitors showed too little to ever really threaten to become the first South African side to win on the road this season.
Super Rugby Week 6 schedule:
Friday -
- Crusaders 33-14 Bulls
- Rebels 46-14 Sharks
Saturday -
- Sunwolves 10-61 Chiefs - 4.15am, Sky Sports Action
- Hurricanes 29-12 Highlanders - 6.35am, Sky Sports Action
- Stormers 25-19 Reds - 3.15pm, Sky Sports Action
- Los Jaguares 49-35 Lions - 9.40pm, Sky Sports Mix