The Chiefs yesterday made a sensational comeback to beat the Crusaders and keep their slim Super Rugby playoff hopes alive, while the red-hot Jaguares advanced their second-place credentials.
In a 10-try extravaganza, the Crusaders made an explosive start, piling on 20 points in a 12-minute burst against an ineffectual defense before the Chiefs staged an incredible fightback to stun the table-toppers 40-27.
Argentina’s Jaguares, a team packed with Pumas who have emerged this year as a tournament force, beat the Queensland Reds 34-23 to earn a bonus-point win in Brisbane with their seventh victory in eight games.
Photo: EPA-EFE
It stretched their lead to seven points in the South African conference with two games left, keeping them on track for a historic home quarter-final in Buenos Aires.
The Brumbies extended their lead on the Australian ladder to five points, seldom threatened as they produced a bonus-point 42-19 victory over Japan’s Sunwolves in Tokyo.
While it was comfortable for the Jaguares and Brumbies, the Chiefs, who chose to play their home game in rugby-mad Fiji, had their work cut out.
Facing a 20-point deficit midway through the first half, they struck back with three quick tries to close the gap to 20-19 at halftime.
In the 66th minute, a Shaun Stevenson try put them in front for the first time. As the Crusaders battled to regain the lead, Tumua Manu scored another to turn the game their way.
It meant the Chief’s slim hope of making the final eight remains alive, while the Crusaders stay two points short of being guaranteed the overall top spot.
Chiefs captain Sam Cane credited his outside backs “for sparking our attack on turnover ball” to get the side going, saying that “from there it was just an arm wrestle.”
“I’m just incredibly proud. That’s one I’ll remember. It gives us just a sniff, but what a performance,” he added.
In Brisbane, Chris Feauai-Sautia gave the Reds an early lead with a converted try after skipper Samu Kerevi shrugged off two tackles and made the offload.
However, the Jaguares slowly took charge and Santiago Carreras used fancy footwork to keep the ball in play before bagging his maiden Super Rugby try, then scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra dived over for another.
It sent them into the break with a 15-13 lead and 10 minutes into the restart Julian Montoya crashed over from a maul after a 16-phase attack to put further in front.
Their fourth try, from Marcos Kremer with 10 minutes remaining, was followed by Jock Campbell pulling one back for the Reds before the win was sealed with an intercept try from Carreras in the dying seconds.
“We’re very happy we got the result,” Jaguares flanker Pablo Matera said. “The first half we missed some important tackles, but in the second half we were OK and knew if we stuck to our game we would get the victory.”
Connal McInerney scored a hat-trick off the bench to boost the Brumbies’ finals chances as they overpowered the Sunwolves, although captain Christian Lealiifano felt they could have done better.
“There’s plenty for us to look at — obviously in controlling the game a bit better. We got a bit loose and put ourselves under a little bit of pressure, so we will learn from it,” Lealiifano said.
The Brumbies were jolted at the start when Hosea Saumaki burst clear to put the Sunwolves ahead in the first minute, but they quickly hit back through Pete Samu, Irae Simone and Thomas Banks before McInerney’s triple.
Semisi Masirewa and Jamie Booth added the extra tries for the Sunwolves, who slipped to a 12th defeat of the year.
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