Super Rugby Saturday wrap: Victories for Hurricanes, Sharks, Stormers and Los Jaguares
Sunday 28 April 2019 10:31, UK
The Hurricanes, Sharks, Stormers and Los Jaguares were all victorious in Round 11 of Super Rugby on Saturday.
Hurricanes 47-19 Chiefs
Jordie Barrett reminded All Blacks coach Steve Hansen of his World Cup aspirations as he scored two early tries to help the Hurricanes beat the Chiefs.
Hansen is looking at the make-up of his back three for the tournament in Japan after utility back Damian McKenzie ruptured a knee ligament and was ruled out for the rest of the year.
Barrett, who has played full-back and on the wing for the All Blacks, reminded Hansen of his own credentials in the No 15 jersey in his first appearance there for the Hurricanes since week two. He finished the match in the midfield, where he has played two games this season.
Barrett's early double, converted by his brother Beauden, gave the Hurricanes a 14-0 lead by the seventh minute and set the tone for a match between teams who drew 23-23 when they met five weeks ago.
Six tries were scored in a first half which saw minimal defence, and the Hurricanes led 28-12 at the interval.
The Hurricanes' bonus-point win improved their record to 7-2 for the season and left them second in the New Zealand conference, seven points behind the Crusaders who beat the Lions 36-10 on Friday.
Waratahs 15-23 Sharks
Curwin Bosch kicked two late penalties to helped the Sharks to victory over an ill-disciplined Waratahs outfit, who were at one stage reduced to 13 men, in Sydney.
The Waratahs were seeking a victory to move top of the Australian conference but had Jed Holloway sent off by referee Nic Berry for striking Sharks prop Thomas du Toit with his elbow in the 46th minute.
Du Toit was also given a yellow card for holding on to Holloway's jersey, which had prompted the lock to lash out.
Five minutes later, Berry gave Waratahs flanker Jack Dempsey a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Sibusiso Nkosi.
When the Sharks held a two-man advantage, centre Andre Esterhuizen scored a try, while No 8 Daniel du Preez crossed in the first-half at the newly-opened stadium in Parramatta.
Fly-half Bosch added the rest of the Sharks' points with two conversions and three penalties, although he also missed two other penalty attempts when they had a numerical advantage.
Jake Gordon scored a try while fly-half Bernard Foley added a try, penalty and a conversion for the Waratahs, who remain second in the Australian conference.
The Waratahs head to South Africa on Sunday, while the Sharks face the competition-leading Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.
Stormers 24-23 Bulls
The Stormers breathed new life into their ailing Super Rugby campaign with a single-point victory over the Bulls in a fierce South African derby at Newlands.
The Cape Town-based side had suffered four defeats in their previous five games, and lost 40-3 to the Bulls in Pretoria on the opening weekend of the Super Rugby season, but showed improved application and continuity to claim a deserved win.
Their tries were scored by wings Sergeal Petersen and Seabelo Senatla, while scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies did his Springbok chances no harm with a lively performance that was capped with a third try for the home side.
The Bulls overcame a poor start to stay in the contest, and grabbed a losing bonus-point when replacement Manie Libbok crossed for a converted try in the final play of the game. Scrum-half Ivan van Zyl managed their other score.
Los Jaguares 20-15 Brumbies
The Jaguares claimed their third consecutive win and put themselves back in the Super Rugby play-off hunt with a bruising victory over the Brumbies at Velez Sarsfield.
The teams exchanged tries inside the first six minutes with wing Sebastian Cancelliere touching down for the home side and the Brumbies getting a quick reply from hooker Folau Fainga'a.
Tom Banks put the Australian side ahead midway through the first half with a well-worked try in the corner with fly-half Christian Lealiifano converting.
The scores were level again after half an hour, Jaguares centre Matias Orlando working his way over, before the try was awarded following some deliberation with the video referee and fly-half Domingo Miotti converting.
The Jaguares then seized the momentum and Cancelliere forced his way through a clutch of defenders and reached the Brumbies line where Agustin Creevy went over from a ruck.
Miotti missed the conversion however, and when Lealiifano kicked a penalty after the hooter the Jaguares' lead was just two points, 17-15, at halftime.
The only points of a bad-tempered second half, which saw some scuffles break out, came from a Miotti penalty after the hour mark that put the Jaguares ahead by five points.
It was a margin that they would ultimately keep a hold of, despite going down to 14 men.
