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South Africa does well in Super 12

New Zealand Shannon Paku, front, gets a pass away as South Africa Bulls Piet Krause hangs on during their Super 12 match in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday. PHOTO: AP

New South Wales and the ACT Brumbies share first place after two rounds of the Super 12 rugby union tournament while New Zealand sides lost three matches Saturday, two of them in South Africa.

Mat Rogers scored a try and kicked eight goals Saturday as New South Wales beat the Sharks 48-14. The Brumbies, who had a first-round upset over defending champion Auckland last week, thrashed the Cats 68-28 in Canberra on Friday night.

The Queensland Reds recovered from a humbling opening loss last week to Otago and overcame New Zealand side Waikato 39-25 at Ballymore on Saturday. Steve Kefu shrugged off a drug investigation last week to score two tries in the opening 10 minutes.

In matches in South Africa, the Bulls beat Wellington 40-19 in Pretoria and the Stormers defeated Otago 46-25 in Cape Town.

On Friday, Auckland recovered from its opening loss to edge Canterbury 38-29 in a replay of last year's grand final. The Crusaders, who won three titles in four seasons and lost the 2003 decider to Auckland, are winless after two rounds.

New South Wales got a bonus-point win over the Sharks to join the Brumbies on 10 competition points despite conceding the first try Saturday when former Scotland international Gregor Townsend stripped the ball from Lote Tuqiri and scooted over from close range.

The Waratahs, who upset Canterbury at Christchurch in the first round, responded with two penalties from fullback Rogers and a try to rookie flyhalf Tim Donnelly.

Rogers landed the sideline conversion and, after a glaring fumble and missing a long-range shot at goal, created the Waratahs' second try for Milton Thaiday on the half hour. He added the extras and then crossed himself, beating four tacklers to touch down beside the posts. His conversion gave the hosts a 27-7 lead at half time.

In Brisbane, Kefu overcame the after-effects of a rare facial paralysis and a doping investigation as Queensland raced to a 12-3 lead over Waikato, which upset Wellington in the first round.

Kefu contracted Bell's Palsy in New Zealand last week and sat out the lopsided first-round loss to Otago.

To treat the illness, doctors in New Zealand gave him a drug that features on the International Rugby Board's list of banned substances. But he was cleared of a doping offense after an Australian Rugby Union investigation.

Kefu contributed to the Chief's first try, throwing an ill-directed pass that Glenn Jackson intercepted to score and convert and bring the New Zealanders back within two points. But Australian vice-captain Elton Flatley landed two penalties to give the Queenslanders an 18-10 lead at half time.

The Chiefs rallied to level at 18-all in the second half before Flatley put fullback Chris Latham over in the 63rd minute as the Reds regained the advantage.
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