The Auckland Blues adapted best to experimental new rules to end a run of home defeats against the Waikato Chiefs with a 32-14 win in the Super 14 local derby yesterday.
The Blues were better conditioned to handle the faster pace of the game as they rebounded from an 8-11 half-time deficit to earn a bonus point victory with four tries.
It was the first time the Blues had beaten the Chiefs at home in six years but at the start it looked as though history would repeat itself.
PHOTO: AFP
In a match played at Eden Park where 24 hours earlier England had beaten New Zealand in a one-day cricket international, the Chiefs were in charge for the first quarter and led 6-5.
But a decisive tactical move by the Blues saw the momentum change as they abandoned raking kicks for territory and took the Chiefs on up front.
A series of bruising pick-and-goes, led by the veterans Keven Mealamu, John Afoa and Troy Flavell forced the Chiefs into an energy-sapping defensive role.
In a game played at pace with few stoppages, the constant Blues attacks had the tiring Chiefs falling off tackles, missing more than 30, and making too many handling errors.
The score alternated throughout the first half starting with a Danny Lee try for the Blues in the third minute.
Two Stephen Donald penalties put the Chiefs in front 6-5, Nic Evans replied for the Blues then a try to Mils Muliaina put the Chiefs up 11-8 at the turn.
But the second spell belonged to the Blues.
They regained the lead with Flavell scoring after a continuous five minute passage in which play twice went from one end of the field to the other.
Donald narrowed the gap to 15-14 with his third penalty before wing Joe Rokocoko and replacement back Ben Atiga scored tries from backline moves which started attacking opportunities created by a new law which requires the defensive backline to be 5m back from scrums.
WARATAHS WIN
AFP, SYDNEY
Rugby league convert Timana Tahu had a hand in two of New South Wales Waratahs' three tries in a 20-3 Super 14 rugby win over Wellington Hurricanes yesterday.
The explosive Tahu, playing on the wing on his rugby union debut, made the final passes for fullback Lachlan Turner's two tries as the Waratahs launched their campaign with a promising victory.
Tahu had few opportunities but made the most of his possession to set up Turner's tries.
The Waratahs led 10-3 at half-time and capitalized on a sloppy Hurricanes' performance to have the game well won with Turner's second try six minutes from full time.
Tahu handed on a pass to give Turner a clear run to the left corner in the 18th minute and Wallaby flanker Rocky Elsom exposed poor Wellington defense close to their try-line minutes after the resumption.
Elsom surged off a pick-and-go in a maul close to the Hurricanes' line and reached out to plant the ball over the try-line.
Tahu was on the spot again in the 74th minute when he put Turner in the right-hand corner after several phases inside Wellington's quarter.
The Waratahs fly-half Kurtley Beale landed just a conversion and a penalty from five attempts.
For the Hurricanes, fly-half Jimmy Gopperth kicked one penalty goal from two attempts.
SHARKS TAME FORCE
AFP, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
The Coastal Sharks kicked off their Super 14 campaign with a hard-fought 17-10 win over Australia's Western Force at Absa Stadium on Friday.
Last year's finalists, who had led 14-3 just minutes after the half-time interval, were given an almighty scare in the second period after the visitors closed the gap to just four points with 15 minutes to go.
The Sharks dominated from the outset, with their pack enjoying supremacy over the visitors.
While Shepherd opened the scoring with a penalty in the 19th minute, the Sharks' better organized pack who were always on the front foot, meant the home side enjoyed the majority of the territory and possession.
And it was only a matter of time before the Force's outstanding defenses were breached.
The Sharks scored their first try on 26 minutes after the pack mauled the ball well over 30m towards the visitors' tryline, allowing flanker Jacques Botes to peel off the side and dive over for the try.
Ruan Pienaar added the two points with the conversion.
The Sharks scored a second try seven minutes after the restart.
Some deft handwork by Brad Barritt allowed fullback Stefan Terblanche to go in next to the right upright and the conversion by Pienaar put the Sharks 14-3 up.
The Force then narrowed the gap to just four points with a converted try in the 65th minute when a loose ball was pounced on by the visitors and Luke Holmes scored.
Then, minutes later Cummins was brought down meters from the tryline by Albert van den Berg in what would have been a certain five-pointer for the visitors.
The Sharks though sealed the outcome with minutes to go when Steyn struck a penalty from nearly 60m out to help his side to a first up win and four points.
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