supper 14

The Super 14 rugby title race just got a whole lot more convoluted. A series of upsets in week 10, including the first defeats for the leading Crusaders and second-placed Sharks, has created a logjam and left bookmakers scrambling. Teams such as the New South Wales Waratahs, Stormers, Chiefs and ACT Brumbies have suddenly revived their campaigns while bright early-season lights at the Blues and Western Force are dimming. The Crusaders still have a six-point buffer despite their 18-5 humbling from the Chiefs on Friday but the Sharks' 32 points leaves them just one ahead of the third-placed Waratahs. Fourth on 27 points are the surging Stormers' whose pivotal defeat of the Hurricanes in Cape Town this morning (NZ time) sees them soar three places while the Hurricanes drop from third to sixth.
Just three points cover positions four to nine with four rounds to play. All six home teams won this weekend, starting with the Chiefs' stunning performance at Hamilton, where No 8 Sione Lauaki and first five-eighth Stephen Donald were in influential form. The Crusaders, who host the Blues next weekend, were hustled off their game and kept below 20 points for the first time this season. More importantly, their aura of invincibility has taken a dent. A fourth straight win lifts the Chiefs to fifth, headed by the Stormers on points differential. They were the only New Zealand team to win this weekend, with the Blues having a much-needed bye while the Hurricanes and Highlanders both crashed to defeats in South Africa this morning (NZ time). The inconsistent Hurricanes couldn't repeat their 50-point heroics against the Bulls last week, crashing 12-20 to a Stormers side who have won five of their last six games. The hosts led 20-0 after 55 minutes before the Hurricanes at last found some freedom to score late tries through outside backs Conrad Smith and Hosea Gear. Hurricanes captain Rodney So'oialo praised the Stormers' defence. "They didn't let us get over the advantage line and we made too many errors. It was very frustrating," he said. In Pretoria the defending champion Bulls ended a five-game losing streak with a crushing 47-17 defeat of the Highlanders.
It was the first time the inexperienced southerners have been soundly beaten in a season dotted with narrow losses. They were overwhelmed in the first half to trail by 25 points but played with more application after the break which will be encouraging with two more games in South Africa to follow. The Sharks blew a gilt-edged chance to close the gap on the Crusaders after losing 21-27 to the Brumbies in Canberra. The Durban-based side frittered away an 18-7 half-time lead and lost their way in the second half with two yellow cards against tenacious opponents who kept their season alive. With games away to the Waratahs and Crusaders in the next two weeks, last year's defending champions risk being sucked into the middle of the standings due to their lack of bonus points. The Waratahs have won four on the trot following their 26-3 thumping of the last-placed Lions, a match that was ruined by heavy rain and saw the scores locked 0-0 at halftime. An Australian derby in Brisbane on Friday night may have been the death knell on the Force's season as they crashed 12-29 to the Queensland Reds in a bumbling display. NZPA