Australia utility back James O’Connor slotted six penalties to give the Western Force an upset 26-21 win over champions the Bulls in their Super Rugby clash on Saturday.
O’Connor, who was sinbinned in the first half for a dangerous tackle, missed only one shot at goal. Willie Ripia slotted a penalty while O’Connor was off the field and Cameron Shepherd scored a second-half try for the Force.
Bulls’ flyhalf Morne Steyn kicked three penalties and a conversion, while Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson scored tries for the South Africans, who have now lost three successive games.
Photo: AFP
The champions, at the end of a four-week road trip, lacked their normal polish, but did manage to score the first try, after O’Connor slotted an early penalty, when Ralepelle was on hand to pick up the ball from an attacking surge and flop over.
O’Connor got the lead back for the Force with his second penalty, but then almost immediately was sinbinned for a dangerous tackle on Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner.
The Bulls took advantage with Basson scoring a try, which Morne Steyn converted, though Ripia managed to slot a penalty for the home side. Steyn added a penalty before O’Connor returned, but the Wallabies utility back reduced the gap to 15-12 by the break when Bulls prop Dean Greyling was penalized for a high tackle.
Steyn extended the lead in the second half with his second penalty, though two more penalties by O’Connor leveled the score at 18-18 with 20 minutes remaining.
The Force managed to snatch the lead when Ripia got his hands free in a tackle to find an unmarked Shepherd, who dived over in the corner.
O’Connor gave his side an eight-point advantage with his sixth penalty with just under four minutes remaining, before Steyn reduced the deficit again and gave the Bulls a chance of snatching a late victory.
SHARKS 40, HURRICANES 24
AFP, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
John Smit took advantage of his first start as a hooker this season as he led the Coastal Sharks to a 40-24 bonus-point win against the Wellington Hurricanes in their Super Rugby clash at King’s Park on Saturday.
Smit scored his team’s first try and impressed in the tight-loose to show that he remains a strong candidate to lead the Springboks in the defense of their Rugby World Cup crown in New Zealand later this year.
Sharks coach John Plumtree had picked Bismarck du Plessis ahead of Smit in the team’s first eight matches, with Smit having to slot in as a prop, but an injury to du Plessis opened the way for Smit to return to his specialist position.
CHIEFS 34, LIONS 30
AFP, JOHANNESBURG
Scott Waldrom scored two tries as the Waikato Chiefs scored only their third win of the season, beating bottom-of-the-table the Golden Lions 34-30 in their Super Rugby clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Chiefs went into the match as the last-placed New Zealand team in the competition, but they gave the Lions, who have won only one out of 10 matches, a lesson in how to make good use of possession, scoring five tries against the three by the home team.
The margin would have been bigger if Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald had not missed four out of eight kicks at goal.
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