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ACT Brumbies chase off the Cheetahs

The Cheetahs' Michael Claassens gets the ball away in their Super 14 rugby match against the Brumbies in Canberra, Australia, on Saturday. The Brumbies won 53-20. PHOTO: AP

The ACT Brumbies thrashed the Cheetahs 53-20 to move onto the Super 14 rugby leaders' heels while the Bulls missed a chance to close in on the top four by drawing Waikato 26-26 on Saturday.

Only the order of the top four changed after the ninth round, with the defending champion Canterbury Crusaders back on top of the standings after edging the second-placed New South Wales Waratahs 17-11 on Friday in a star-studded cliffhanger. ACT moved into third place ahead of the idle Wellington Hurricanes by remaining unbeaten at Canberra.

In Saturday's other matches, Otago edged the Western Force 25-22 to keep the expansion side winless, Auckland put away South Africa's Stormers 32-15, and Queensland won the last outing of its three-match South Africa trek at the Cats' expense, 23-16.

Jeremy Paul scored two of ACT's seven tries, giving the Wallabies hooker 22 in his Super career. But the Brumbies will not find next weekend so easy when they travel to Sydney.

The Cheetahs, who began their tour with a mauling in Sydney last week from New South Wales, move on without any mercy to Canterbury.

The Waikato Chiefs and Bulls gave their audience a few thrills when they fought out a seven-try, 26-26 draw at Hamilton.

The Bulls had the biggest role in the first act, scoring three tries to lead 19-11 at halftime and a fourth for a 26-11 advantage three minutes into the second half.

They were then cruelly upstaged by the Chiefs who scored late tries through center Sam Tuitupou and flanker Steven Bates to tie the scores. The deadlock endured through the last 10 minutes of the match.

The Auckland Blues left their supporters with a feeling of anticlimax as they beat the Stormers 32-15 at Eden Park.

Although they took their first four-try bonus point of the season, for tries by Isa Nacewa, Keven Mealamu, Anthony Tuitavake and Junior Poluleuligaga, they remained only five rungs from the bottom of the championship ladder.

The Cats, coming off a bye, led 16-13 at halftime.
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