Chiefs tame Bulls to claim first win of Super Rugby season
The Chiefs earned their first win of the Super Rugby season with an emphatic away bonus-point triumph over the Bulls, while the Sharks beat the Rebels on Saturday.
Brodie Retallick, Alex Nankivell and Solomon Alaimalo all scored twice as the Chiefs romped to a 56-20 win at Loftus Versfeld.
New Zealand lock Retallick struck either side of half-time to end the match as a contest, Alaimalo and Nankivell having earlier gone over as the visitors seized control.
Nankivell scored again before Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Alaimalo put the icing on the cake with tries inside the last six minutes. The impressive Damian McKenzie, who was named man of the match, added 21 points with the boot.
Jesse Kriel claimed a consolation try while the Chiefs were shorthanded with Alaimalo in the sin bin. Burger Odendaal also went over late on - those efforts plus 10 points from Handre Pollard, the competition's top scorer this season, accounted for the Bulls' scoring.
The Chiefs, who remain bottom of the New Zealand Conference, had failed to win any of their first five games this season, while the Bulls missed the chance to go top of the South African pool.
In Durban, the Sharks scored 12 unanswered second-half points to defeat the Rebels 28-14.
The home side led by 10 midway through the first half, boosted by Daniel du Preez's early try, but they briefly trailed after Tom English and Jack Maddocks dotted down for the Rebels, with Quade Cooper integral in both scores.
Robert du Preez's penalty had the Sharks up by two at the break, before he went on to score a try himself after the interval on his way to 18 individual points.
Makazole Mapimpi's score just before the hour mark ended any hopes of a comeback from the Rebels - who remain second in the Australian Conference – as the Sharks snapped a two-match losing streak.
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wel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
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