Chiefs secure Super Rugby top spot, Crusaders win battle for second
SYDNEY :Lock Tupou Vaa'i scored a hat-trick of tries as the Waikato Chiefs locked up top spot in the Super Rugby Pacific standings and home advantage throughout the playoffs with a 41-21 victory over the Otago Highlanders on Friday.
The second-placed Canterbury Crusaders later closed out their regular season by edging the third-placed ACT Brumbies 33-31 in a Canberra thriller to ensure New Zealand teams would own the top two in the standings for a fourth straight year.
The Chiefs, runners-up for the last two seasons, thrashed Moana Pasifika 85-7 last weekend and looked like running rampant again at Dunedin Stadium when they scored three tries, two from Vaa'i, in the first 13 minutes.
The young Highlanders side gradually worked their way back into the contest, however, and co-captains Ethan de Groot and Timoci Tavatavanawai both scored tries to cut the deficit to 19-14 at halftime.
Scrumhalf Xavier Roe raced away down the blindside to give the Chiefs the perfect start to the second half and replacement back Manasa Mataele gave them a 31-17 lead heading into the final quarter, but the Highlanders would not lie down.
Sam Gilbert ran onto a clever Tanielu Tele'a kick to score a try in his final appearance for the Highlanders seven minutes from time and they would have got closer had Cortez Ratima not come up with a brilliant try-saving cover tackle.
All Black Vaa'i was not done yet, however, and he pounced on a loose ball from a goal-line drop out in the final minute to condemn the Highlanders to the wooden spoon for the first time since the second season of Super Rugby in 1997.
"Although the game wasn't perfect, we got the win," said Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson.
"We got the four points, and we're at the top, and we can change our focus to what's in front of us in the quarter-final next week now."
The Brumbies also got off to a flying start when prop Feao Fotuaika went over in the second minute but the Crusaders, clinical every time they neared the try line, were soon in front after Christian Lio-Willie and Ethan Blackadder crossed.
The hosts hit back with a fine backline try from centre Len Ikitau but the Crusaders were happy to take the points however they came and another close-range effort from Rivez Reihana as well as a Sevu Reece drop goal put them 25-14 up at the break.
Flyhalf Reihana kicked a penalty to extend the lead in the 47th minute but replacement prop Rhys van Nek ground over and winger Andy Muirhead finished off a flowing move to lock up the scores at 28-28 with 24 minutes to play.
Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio slotted a three-pointer in the 72nd minute but Crusaders replacement hooker George Bell crashed over the line from a rolling maul five minutes later for the match-winning try.
"Good to show a bit of composure there at the back end of that game," said Crusaders skipper Codie Taylor. "Seems to be a common trend for us leaking points in that second half but hey, it's always hard fought over here."
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