Chiefs and Bulls boost Super Rugby play-off hopes
The Chiefs kept up with the pace in a highly competitive New Zealand Conference as the Bulls also boosted their Super Rugby play-off hopes on Saturday.
It looks increasingly likely that New Zealand will provide four quarter-finalists in this year’s tournament and the Chiefs, although second last in the pool, are well placed to be among them.
They went to the Stormers and won 15-9 as Anton Lienert-Brown and a penalty try ended the South African side’s unbeaten home run this season.
The hosts failed to cross, despite leading until the 65th minute as Damian Willemse twice kicked penalties.
FT | A low-scoring affair as @ChiefsRugby edge the Stormers 15 – 9 in Cape Town.#STOvCHI #DontMissAThing pic.twitter.com/GdvjSO0Cm8
— Super Rugby NZ (@SuperRugbyNZ) May 12, 2018
And the Stormers’ defeat allowed the Bulls to put pressure on their South African rivals with a 39-33 success over the Sharks.
Five different scorers touched down for the hosts as they held on despite a late Sharks push through brothers Jean-Luc and Robert du Preez, although the losing side’s efforts were not in vain as they too leapfrogged the Stormers with a bonus point.