Gatland's Chiefs beat Blues 37-29 in Auckland; Brumbies edge Reds 27-24 in Canberra; Sharks see off Bulls 23-15 in Durban
Friday 31 January 2020 23:39, UK
British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland made a winning return in Super Rugby when he guided the Chiefs to a 37-29 win over the Blues in the season opener.
Gatland, a former All Blacks hooker who was one of the most capped players for the Chiefs' home province Waikato, has not been involved in Super Rugby since 2007 when he was a technical adviser to the Chiefs.
For 12 years he was the coach of Wales, and coach of the Lions since 2013.
The Chiefs didn't see the lead at Eden Park in Auckland until the 68th minute when winger Solomon Alaimalo scored in the left corner. Former All Blacks fly-half Aaron Cruden, who hasn't played in New Zealand since 2017 while in France, came off the bench to make that try and to kick three conversions, a penalty and a dropped goal to help the Chiefs overcome a 19-5 half-time deficit.
The highly-rated Blues dominated the first half with two tries from winger Rieko Ioane, who played with energy after losing his All Blacks spot in 2019.
But the Blues fell flat in the second half. When the Chiefs asserted themselves with the help of two tries to hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho, the Blues had no answer and began to make mistakes that caused their game to fall apart.
"To be honest, we weren't great in the first half, we were pretty average," Gatland said.
"For us, the first three games are vital. The Crusaders next week at home is a major game for us, then we're on the road to the Sunwolves. If we get off to a good start and win these first three games, it will put us right in this competition."
In the second of three matches on opening night, the Brumbies beat the Reds 27-24 in Canberra. Bushfires burned within 10 kilometers (six miles) of the city and threatened to cancel the match.
After trailing early, Tom Wright, Folau Faingaa and Tom Banks scored tries before a penalty made it 27-17 for the Brumbies in the 67th minute. A late Reds try from No. 8 Harry Wilson made it close.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said that starting the Super Rugby season in January was "dangerous" and called for change next season. The match was played in 39-degree (102 F) heat and the players suffered through the oppressive conditions.
The season opened in South Africa, with the Sharks beating the three-time champion Bulls 23-15 at home in Durban.
The Sharks scored the only tries, through wing Sbu Nkosi and the game clincher in the 79th minute from replacement scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba on his Super Rugby debut.
Fly-half Morne Steyn, a three-time Super Rugby winner who is back at the Bulls after six years at Stade Francais, kicked all of the Bulls' points. His dropped goal just before half-time edged the Bulls in front 9-6.
Nkosi scored after collecting a cross-kick from Curwin Bosch to give the Sharks the lead again.
Steyn's boot closed it to 16-15 late in the game as he kept picking off points in a long spell of Bulls pressure. However, Nohamba sliced through after a move from a scrum at the very end to seal the Sharks' victory.
