Stormers claim home berth in packed Super Rugby field

Stormers claim home berth in packed Super Rugby field

WELLINGTON - The Crusaders' 13-try thumping of the Melbourne Rebels left Australian sides on the ropes, New Zealand in confusion and only South Africa knowing its conference winners after Super Rugby's penultimate round.

The Western Stormers joined the Golden Lions as the two top sides from South Africa when they rallied from a slow start to down the Western Force 22-3

The Western Stormers joined the Golden Lions as the two top sides from South Africa when they rallied from a slow start to down the Western Force 22-3.

In the New Zealand conference with one match remaining the Waikato Chiefs have a tenuous lead with the Canterbury Crusaders, Otago Highlanders and Wellington Hurricanes all having a chance to overtake them.

However, in Australia where all five teams lost at the weekend, the ACT Brumbies and NSW Waratahs remain level on points battling for one guaranteed quarter-final slot with the other side likely to miss the play-offs completely.

The Stormers, who have had the benefit of not playing any New Zealand sides his year, produced their ninth win from 14 matches despite being under siege for the first 30 minutes before a 15-point burst just before half-time.

In a bizarre situation early in the match, Stormers centre Daniel du Plessis was shown a yellow card as he was stretchered off the field after being found to be at fault when knocked out in a collision with Marcel Brache.

The competition pace-setting Lions, who like the Chiefs and Crusaders, have won 11 of 14, also struggled to get into top gear when they played the lowly Southern Kings.

They led 17-7 at half-time before pulling away to a 57-21 bonus-point victory that kept them one point ahead of the Chiefs and on target for the vital home venue in the final should they make it that far.

The Chiefs also posted a half-century when they demolished the Queensland Reds 50-5 to record their biggest winning margin in Super Rugby and to stay at the top of the New Zealand conference a point ahead of the Crusaders.

They scored 19 of their points in a 10-minute spell in the first half when the Reds were down to 13 men.

The Crusaders' points came thick and fast from the 90th second when Sam Whitelock scored the opening try.

They led 43-7 at half-time using audacious off-loads that left the Rebels defence in tatters and no excuses from losing captain Nic Stirzaker. "We were pretty dreadful and they were exceptional," he said of the lop-sided game.

The defending champion Highlanders booked their quarter-final berth with a 34-8 win over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, while the Auckland Blues and Hurricanes put paid to Australia's leading hopes the Brumbies and Waratahs.

Four tries in the first 20 minutes took the Blues to a 40-15 victory over the Brumbies and the Hurricanes then edged the Waratahs 28-17 to seal New Zealand's domination over Australian sides.

The Crusaders host the Hurricanes and the Chiefs head to Dunedin to play the Highlanders next week with all four sides in with a chance to claim the New Zealand conference.

The Brumbies, at home to the Force next week, are best placed to come out on top in Australia with the Waratahs having to travel to Auckland to face the giant-killing Blues.

The Coastal Sharks, who beat the Central Cheetahs 26-10 should claim the South African wildcard entry to the play-offs when they finish the regular season against the Sunwolves.

Their nearest rivals Northern Bulls, who beat the Sunwolves 50-3 at the weekend, are two points behind the Sharks and have a tougher assignment against the Cheetahs ahead of them.

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