New Zealand teams display their strength

Super Rugby Pacific round-up

By BEN JAYCOCK

New Zealand continued their Trans-Tasman dominance with three of the final four teams participating in next weekend’s Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals.

The Blues will host Australia’s sole representative the Brumbies on Friday, while the Chiefs travel to Wellington to take on Kiwi rivals the Hurricanes on Saturday.

The Chiefs scored six tries as they defeated Queensland Reds 43-21 to reach the semi-finals. All Blacks star Damian McKenzie contributed 13 points.

No Australian team has ever won a Super Rugby knock-out game in New Zealand and the Reds’ defeat extended that miserable run.

Chiefs hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho said: “We’re really happy, it was down to the first half when we came out firing but we have a few things to tidy up from the second half.”

Taukei’aho exhibited great pace and strength to stun the Reds’ defence and score the opening try.

The home side doubled their tally by the 11th minute as Wallace Sititi charged down on the right flank allowing Emoni Narawa to touch down.

The third try came in the 16th minute when Shaun Stevenson sent an offload for Taukei’aho to complete his brace.

McKenzie and Stevenson combined to send Etene Nanai-Seturo over in the corner for their fourth try as they led 31-0 at the break.

The Reds eventually opened the account early in the second half as Seru Uru sent a flat pass for Tate McDermott to cross over but his effort was negated with Anton Lienert-Brown strolling over the left edge to make it 38-7.

McDermott notched his second but Bradley Slater touched down at the back of a maul to make it 43-14 before Lawson Creighton scored a consolation try.

The top-ranked Hurmined to go down fighting and scored twice in as many minutes through winger Lachie Anderson, making the score 35-20.

But the Hurricanes clinched the match with a try to Du’Plessis Kirifi and another to Kini Naholo. Brett Cameron converted and finished with six goals from seven attempts.

Winger Caleb Clarke scored two tries as the Blues thrashed Fijian Drua 36-5 at Eden Park.

The Blues raced to a 22-0 lead after 35 minutes. Flanker Dalton Papali’i, scrum-half Finlay Christie and Clarke crossed for tries.

Fiji winger Selestino Ravutaumada triggered a Drua fightback with a brilliant, mazy run for a try three minutes into the second half.

The Blues never recovered their dominance but replacement hooker Kurt Eklund scored a try and Clarke scythed through ricanes beat the Melbourne Rebels 47-20 on Saturday to qualify for the last four and end the Australian side’s 13-year tenure in the Southern Hemisphere tournament.

The Rebels will no longer be able to participate in Super Rugby which they joined in 2011. Rugby Australia decided not to renew their participation licence due to financial difficulties.

The Hurricanes took 25 minutes to score their first points of the match, a try to prop Pasilio Tosi, which was longer than in any other match this season.

The finishing polish started to come just before half-time when winger Josh Moorby scored, making the score 14-6 at the break.

The eighth-seeded Rebels were playing in the quarter-finals for the first time and put up a brave fight in their last match.

The Hurricanes led 35-6 after 57 minutes. But the Rebels were still deter-the defence to grab his second.

The Brumbies continue to fly the flag for Australian sides as they secured a semi-final place against the high-flying Blues after converting a one-point half-time lead into an authoritative 32-16 victory over the Highlanders. Victory completed an undefeated home campaign.

But their reward is a dubious one as Stephen Larkham’s side must beat the Blues away from their home fortress for the first time in more than a decade to keep alive their hopes of snapping a 20- year title drought.

There was no denying Andy Muirhead in the 15th minute when the Brumbies spread the ball beautifully from the left all the way across to the right winger to finish. Three Cameron Millar penalties nudged the visitors into a 9-7 lead. Noah Lolesio wrestled the advantage back briefly with a Brumbies penalty, only for the Highlanders to strike back with a try to winger Jona Nareki.

After four lead changes, the Brumbies had the final say of the half when hooker Billy Pollard crashed his way over to give the home side a 17-16 buffer at the break.

If the result was still in doubt after Pollard bagged his second early in the second half, it didn’t look so when classy winger Muirhead completed his double.