The Hurricanes powered on in Super Rugby on Saturday with a 12th win in 13 games, while defending champions New South Wales went second overall and likely ended the Crusaders' playoff hopes by winning their rematch of last year's final.
The Stormers came through a tricky test at times at home against the Melbourne Rebels to round out the top three after 15 of 18 regular-season rounds.
New Zealand's Wellington-based Hurricanes beat the Auckland-based Blues 29-5 and hold an emphatic 13 point lead over their nearest challengers in the standings.
Hampered by injuries, the Hurricanes only led 3-0 after 35 minutes. But tries by prop Chris Eves — his first in Super Rugby — and scrumhalf T.J. Perenara propelled them to a 17-0 halftime lead. Hooker Dane Coles and winger Nehe Milner-Skudder went over in the second and the Hurricanes look set to earn a precious home semifinal after another bonus-point win.
The Sydney-based New South Wales Waratahs are finding some late-season from in their title defence, with a 33-22 win over the seven-time champion Crusaders of New Zealand — the team they beat to win the 2014 championship — taking the 'Tahs top of the Australian conference.
The Waratahs led 25-8, conceded two converted tries by the Crusaders, but then sealed victory with a moment of individual brilliance by flyhalf Bernard Foley. Foley spotted some space behind the Crusaders defenders, chipped and chased, then hacked ahead and dived on the ball well before the tryline, relying on his momentum to take him sliding over.
The only negative for the Waratahs was the citing of forwards Will Skelton and Tolu Latu, who combined for an illegal tip tackle on Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock in the first half. The pair could be punished with bans with three crucial regular-season rounds to play.
The Christchurch-based Crusaders, now seven points off the playoff places, seem set to miss out on the knockout games for the first time since 2001, not a good send-off for their longtime All Blacks stars Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw.
The Stormers' 31-15 win over the Rebels was built on tries by centre Damian de Allende and two by winger Dillyn Leyds. Leyds' first on the brink of halftime was lucky as he snatched a wayward pass by the Rebels just out from their tryline and slipped over. His second early in the second half was slick as he cut in off his wing, wrong-footing a horde of defenders, and sliced through.
The Rebels were willing to attack from deep and troubled the Cape Town-based Stormers in stages, with backs Dom Shipperley and Tom English scoring. Still, the Rebels have still never won in South Africa in Super Rugby.
While the Hurricanes are 13 points clear of nearest challengers the Chiefs in the New Zealand conference, the Waratahs and Stormers hold tentative leads in their national conferences. The Waratahs lead in Australia by three points over the ACT Brumbies. The Stormers, after missing out on a bonus point against the Rebels, are just two clear of the Lions in South Africa.
The Johannesburg-based Lions have been South Africa's success story in 2015 after being relegated from Super Rugby for the 2013 season. Their four-try, bonus-point win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein gave them an eighth win in 14 and briefly put them in the top three before the Stormers' victory ended round 15 and dropped the Lions down to seventh.
The Dunedin-based Highlanders are also well-set for the playoffs in fifth overall after winning 23-3 at the Western Force. After a lacklustre first half by both, Highlanders flanker John Hardie drove over after a rolling maul and All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith scored a late second to ensure the Highlanders didn't slip up.
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