SPASIFIKmag.com checks out the latest results from the Super 14 as well as look ahead to some enticing round nine matchups this weekend as the race for the top four heats up.
Australian referee Paul Marks cost the Hurricanes a top four place when he failed to award a certain penalty try in the dying seconds of a titanic struggle as the Sharks survived to eke out a 13-all draw in Wellington.
He had earlier awarded a dubious penalty try to the Sharks for a Hurricanes infringement supposedly collapsing a maul on the line. But when Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith was taken out without the ball on the try line as he was about to dive for the loose ball, Marks refused to go upstairs to the TMO or consult his linesman.
The game saw a flurry of cards, with the Sharks Tongan import Epi Taione given his marching orders for a blatant head butt.
The frustrated Hurricanes now travel to the republic where they face a daunting meeting with the Bulls in Pretoria.
The Sharks settled for the draw which maintains their second place on the points table. With the Highlanders next on their New Zealand tour in Dunedin, the Sharks will be confident of cementing their semi-finals spot. The Highlanders will be on a high though after getting their first win of the Super 14 competition after edging the bottom ranked Lions 29-20. Centre Johnny Leota was inspiration for the home team with two tries in front of the Dunedin faithful.
The Blues were terrible in Sydney against the rejuvenated Waratahs. They continued their inconsistent form going down heavily 37-16. In a poor display where David Nucifora’s men again made too many mistakes, the Waratahs capitalised to keep their semi final hopes alive. The Blues were outplayed out front with Keven Mealamu sin-binned in the first half for ball slowing tactics. The good news is the Blues retain their third place ranking, but the Chiefs are hot on their tail and in good form.
The Chiefs rose to fourth place with an emphatic display against the Brumbies in Canberra. The Chiefs scored six tries in their 42-28 win, gaining a much needed bonus point. The Chiefs get a breather this weekend, but the Brumbies will be out to rectify that result when they travel to Auckland to take on the Blues.
The Crusaders are back in action this weekend having had a well deserved break to mend their walking wounded. Stephen Brett and Dan Carter are still out injured, but they are expected to walk over the hapless Lions in Christchurch.
The Australian local derby between the Force and Waratahs in Perth is set to be a cracker and one of the games of round nine this weekend. The Force squeaked a narrow 15-14 win over the Bulls in Perth to be the highest ranked Aussie team in the comp in fifth place. But right behind in them in sixth place are the Waratahs who have bounced back after the announcement coach Ewen McKenzie will step down at the end of the season.
In the other game of round nine, the Stormers and the Cheetahs face off in Cape Town, the latter team in high spirits after their bonus point 29-14 victory over the Reds last weekend, while the Stormers come back from the bye in good form.
Super 14 - Round 8 Results:
Highlanders 29-20 Lions in Dunedin
Highlanders: Tries: Bancroft; Williams; Leota (2); Cons: Wilson (3); Pens: Wilson;
Lions: Tries: Alberts; Venter; van Schalkwyk; Cons: van Schalkwyk; Pens: van Schalkwyk;
Brumbies 28-42 Chiefs in Canberra
Brumbies: Tries: Playford; Smith; Holmes (2); Cons: Mortlock (3);
Chiefs: Tries: Bruce; Nutbrown; Sivivatu; Waqaseduadua; Donald (2); Cons: Donald (6);
Force 15-14 Bulls in Perth
Force: Tries: Cross; Giteau; Cons: Shepherd; Pens: Shepherd;
Bulls: Tries: Habana (2); Cons: Hougaard (2);
Hurricanes 13-13 Sharks in Wellington
Hurricanes: Tries: Hore; Cons: Gopperth; Pens: Gopperth (2);
Sharks: Tries: penalty try; Cons: Steyn; Pens: Pienaar; Steyn;
Waratahs 37-16 Blues in Sydney
Waratahs: Tries: Mumm; Palu; Polota-Nau; Robinson; Tuqiri; Cons: Beale (3); Pens: Beale (2);
Blues: Tries: Flavell; Stanley; Pens: Evans (2);
Cheetahs 29-14 Reds in Bloemfontein
Cheetahs: Tries: Bosman; Duncan; Jonker; Vermeulen; Cons: Potgieter (3); Drops: Potgieter
Reds: Tries: Va'aulu (2); Cons: Schifcofske (2);
Round 9 Draw:
Apr 11 Highlanders - Sharks Dunedin 7:35 PM
Apr 12 Crusaders - Lions Christchurch 5:30 PM
Apr 12 Blues - Brumbies Auckland 7:35 PM
Apr 12 Force - Waratahs Perth 11:05 PM
Apr 13 Stormers - Cheetahs Cape Town 1:00 AM
Apr 13 Bulls - Hurricanes Pretoria 3:05 AM
* Kickoff Times (NZT)
Super 14 2008 Standings
| TEAM | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | B1 | B2 | TOTAL |
| Crusaders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 248 | 73 | 5 | 0 | 33 |
| Sharks | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 131 | 83 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| Blues | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 227 | 171 | 3 | 1 | 24 |
| Chiefs | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 225 | 222 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Force | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 162 | 168 | 1 | 2 | 23 |
| Waratahs | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 143 | 121 | 1 | 1 | 22 |
| Hurricanes | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 134 | 111 | 2 | 1 | 21 |
| Stormers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 134 | 125 | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| Brumbies | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 157 | 187 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| Reds | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 155 | 199 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Cheetahs | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 161 | 232 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
| Highlanders | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 135 | 164 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Bulls | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 151 | 230 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Lions | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 118 | 195 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
Try Scorers
Fetu’u Vainikolo, Highlanders 4
John Roe, Reds 4
Casey Laulala, Crusaders 4
Lelia Masaga, Chiefs 4
Stephen Donald, Chiefs 4
Tonderai Chavhanga, Stormers 4
Joe Rokocoko, Blues 4
Daniel Carter, Crusaders 4
Ryan Cross, Force 4
Jongi Nokwe, Cheetahs 4
Liam Messam, Chiefs 4
Peter Playford, Brumbies 4
