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Super Rugby wrap: Chiefs and Hurricanes win, Highlanders leave it late

By Sky Sports Rugby Union

Sunday 16 February 2020 12:07, UK

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 15: The Highlanders celebrate their win in the round 3 Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and the Highlanders at GIO Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
Image: The Highlanders celebrate their win over the Brumbies

The Chiefs and Highlanders both scored wins on Saturday, while the Highlanders snatched victory with the last play of the game...

Sunwolves 17-43 Chiefs

Damian McKenzie played a major role including scoring 11 points as the Chiefs continued their unbeaten start to the 2020 Super Rugby season with a 43-17 win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo.

All Blacks playmaker McKenzie missed last year's World Cup and most of the 2019 season with an ACL injury. However, he has made a strong return over the last two weeks after sitting out the opening round.

TOKYO, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 15: Damian Mckenzie of Chiefs runs with the ball during the Super Rugby match between Sunowlves and Chiefs at Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground on February 15, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
Image: Damian McKenzie played a key role for the Chiefs against the Sunwolves

The hosts took the lead through Garth April, but Warren Gatland's side soon seized control with quickfire tries from Solomon Alaimalo, followed by Brad Weber going over following a line-out.

Alaimalo and McKenzie combined for the latter to grab the Chiefs' fourth try, with Lachlan Boshier, Quinn Tupaea and Kaleb Trask grabbing the other tries for the away side.

Jaba Bregvadze and Shogo Nakano dotted down for consolation scores for the home side either side of half-time.

Hurricanes 38-17 Sharks

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 15: Ben Lam of the Hurricanes scores a try during the round 3 Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Sharks at Westpac Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Elias Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Image: Ben Lam runs in one of his two tries for the Hurricanes

Ben Lam and Jordie Barrett led the way as the Hurricanes ended the Sharks' unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season at Westpac Stadium.

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Lam ran in two tries and Barrett kicked 13 points as the hosts racked up a big victory in a match which featured several long-range tries.

Barrett's early penalty put the Hurricanes ahead, but the Sharks hit back after Lukhanyo Am's interception led to Michael Tambwe scoring.

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The sides went in at 17-17 at half-time as Wes Goosen and Ngani Laumape went over for the Hurricanes, and Tyler Paul got another back for the visitors while replacement Sanele Nohamba kicked a penalty.

It was all the Hurricanes in the second half though as Lam's double, plus a further try from Dane Coles and Barrett's goal-kicking saw them to victory.

The Sharks, however, came away with injury concerns after Makazole Mapimpi and then Boeta Chamberlain failed head injury assessments.

Brumbies 22-23 Highlanders

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 15: Folau Fainga'a of the Brumbies celebrates a try during the round 3 Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and the Highlanders at GIO Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
Image: Folau Fainga'a scored a hat-trick for the Brumbies, but it was not enough to secure victory

A last-gasp converted try from Teariki Ben-Nicholas saw the Highlanders snatch victory away to the Brumbies in Canberra.

A hat-trick from Folau Fainga'a looked to have been enough for the Australian side to secure the win, with Ryan Lonergan kicking two penalties to edge the home side towards victory as well.

But in the closing stages, James Lentjes forced a turnover which led to replacement No 8 Ben-Nicholas crashing over for the visitors, with Josh Ioane kicking the game-winning conversion to with his three penalties.

Ioane was also on hand to convert the Highlanders' other try from Jona Nareki, while the away side also survived having Sio Tomkinson sin-binned for a dangerous tackle early in the second half.

Lions 30-33 Stormers

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 15: Ruhan Nel of the Stormers with the ball during the Super Rugby match between Emirates Lions and DHL Stormers at Emirates Airline Park on February 15, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Image: Ruhan Nel scored the winning try for the Stormers

Ruhan Nel was the hero for the Stormers as he grabbed the game-clinching try with the final play of the game to keep his side unbeaten with a narrow victory over the Lions.

Tries from Juanro Augustus and Godlen Masimla put the Stormers in charge after Elton Jantjies had opened the scoring for the hosts with an early penalty, only for Andries Coetzee and Courtnall Skosan to get the Lions back into the match.

Damian Willemse landed two penalties to make it 18-15 to the visitors at the break, followed by a try from Sergeal Petersen and a third Willemse penalty putting them even further in front.

The Lions were not done yet as Janties, who kicked another penalty, and Dan Kriel crossed to put them 30-26 up. However, the Stomers stuck to their task and centre Nel found his way over the game-clinching try, converted by Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Jaguares 43-27 Reds

Argentina's Jaguares hooker Julian Montoya (#2) celebrates with teamamtes after scoring his third try against Australia's Reds during the Super Rugby match at Jose Amalfitani stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina on February 15, 2020. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP) (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)
Image: Julian Montoya celebrates with his Jaguares team-mates after scoring his third try

Four second-half tries helped the Jaguares come from behind to defeat the Reds in the final match of the weekend in Buenos Aires.

The Reds stormed into a 24-12 half-time lead thanks to tries from Tate McDermott, Liam Wright and two for Chris Feauai-Sautia, but lost their way after the break and were not helped by Wright being sin-binned.

Julian Montoya led the way for last year's Super Rugby finalists with a hat-trick of tries, while Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Socino and Tomas Cubelli added one apiece.

The result condemned the Reds to continuing their winless start to the season, while seeing the Jaguares get their first win on the board in 2020.

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