Emirates Lions managed their second win with ease in Australia when they trounced the Rebels in Melbourne 47-10 on May 6.
The Cell C Sharks continued with their quest for a place in the Vodacom Super Rugby play-offs by outplaying the Western Force 37-12 in their Durban encounter.
Despite an improved performance and a hard-fought lead with just five minutes remaining on the clock, the Toyota Cheetahs had to witness how the Highlanders snatched a last-gasp 45-41 victory from them in Bloemfontein on Saturday. The Highlanders ran in three tries at the end for one of the competition’s most dramatic fightback wins.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders marched on with their unbeaten record still intact following their 62-24 triumph over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. It was the home team’s biggest defeat at Loftus, while the Crusaders managed to win there for the first time since 2008.
The DHL Stormers were the first team in action over the weekend, but they returned home on the back of Friday’s 41-22 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
In Saturday’s late and lively evening fixture played in Buenos Aires, the Jaguares had to fight hard for their come-from-behind 46-39 win over the gritty Sunwolves of Japan. In doing so, the Argentine side managed to halt a four-match losing sequence, thanks to their successful efforts that saw them wipe out a 12-point deficit in the last 14 minutes.
The Southern Kings side had a rest weekend.
The Joburg side have won nine of their 10 matches to date and are the leading SA side in the competition on 42 points. The team from Durban is second in this conference, with 32 points from seven wins in their 10 matches.
Victory over the Sunwolves left the Jaguares with a slim chance of making the play-offs as they trail Robert du Preez’s team by eight points with five games to play.
Robbie Fleck’s outfit heads the Africa Conference 1 table on 26 points from six wins in 10 matches. The Crusaders are leading the NZ conference on 46 points, while the Brumbies (18 points from nine matches) are the top Australian side.
Other Round 11 results:
May 6
Chiefs 46, Reds 17
Waratahs 33, Blues 40
Jaguares 46, Sunwolves 39
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