Brumbies stay unbeaten in Super Rugby, extend away winning run to 7 games by beating Sharks

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - The ACT Brumbies beat the Durban-based Sharks 29-10 to remain the only unbeaten team in Super Rugby after five rounds, stretching their winning run away from home to a club-record seven games.

The Brumbies posted only their second win over the Sharks in Durban in 18 seasons to continue an away-win streak that began when they beat the Lions at Johannesburg last April.

Maintain the trend of away wins, the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs beat the New South Wales Waratahs 27-26 in Sydney, the Western Force shocked the Queensland Reds 19-12 in Brisbane, the defending champion Chiefs beat the Southern Kings 35-24 at Port Elizabeth and the Hurricanes beat the Highlanders 23-19 at Dunedin.

By contrast, the Crusaders avoided their worst start to the season in 17 years when they beat the Bulls 41-19 in their first home match of the season at Christchurch.

The Brumbies lead the Australian conference by a whopping 10 points from the Reds after playing only four matches this season and head the overall tournament standings by six points from the Hamilton-based Chiefs, who rebounded from their first loss of the season last weekend.

The Canberra-based Brumbies effectively secured victory in a brilliant first-half blitz of support play in which they scored their fourth bonus-point try to lead 26-3 after 34 minutes.

Backs Jesse Mogg, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua and Henry Speight scored the tries after the sweat provided by a powerful pack, which dominated and intimidated the subdued Sharks. Deprived of ball and trapped in their half, the Sharks were virtually toothless in the first 40 minutes.

The Brumbies carried their big lead into halftime, then allowed the Sharks only a converted try, the visitors' first conceded in three games. Rain in the second half contributed to the Brumbies cooling off in their fourth straight win.

"We're extremely happy, Kings Park is not an easy place to come and win," Brumbies captain Ben Mowen said. "We know that against the Sharks you have to be really physical and I was happy with our effort."

Scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius returned to haunt the New South Wales Waratahs, playing a major role in the Cheetahs' third-straight win over the Australian side. Pretorius expertly managed the Cheetahs' game and created the match-winning try to winger Raymond Rhule 10 minutes from fulltime.

The Waratahs recruited Pretorius as a marquee player last season but quickly dropped him to their reserves bench and eventually left him out of their 22. Pretorius negotiated a release from the second year of his Waratahs contract to return to the Cheetahs, and on Friday he reminded his former teammates of the abilities they failed to exploit.

Injury-played Waratahs utility Berrick Barnes left the field with a dislocated thumb in the 18th minute, adding to the problems of a team which has won only one of four matches this season.

"Obviously, very disappointed, aren't we," coach Michael Cheika said. "Making a lot of good play and then we make mistakes. We're getting stripped. The ball is getting stripped. We are making the same mistake over again.

"We are a team that is carrying a lot of anxiety as it is from past seasons. We are going to get a lot more of that now."

The Crusaders avoided their first 0-3 start to a season since Super Rugby was launched in 1996 with a six tries to one win over the Bulls which followed losses to Blues and Hurricanes.

After an error-ridden first 25 minutes a try to centre Robbie Fruean relieved pressure from the Crusaders and they began to play with more confidence the expansive style they have tried to adopt this season.

"While it wasn't clinical and wasn't perfect, the intent was pretty genuine, as was the physicality," Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said. "I was just pleased they nailed it.

"The Bulls are so good at scrum and their lineout is probably the best in the world and if you don't put time and energy into stopping it, it can be a nightmare."

The Wellington-based Hurricanes followed last weekend's one-point win over the Crusaders, which ended a two-match losing run with another close and hard-fought win over the Highlanders.

"We're nowhere near our best but I'm easy with that," coach Mark Hammett said. "We're becoming a much better side for the adversity and battles we are having.

"They're not battles where we are being beaten up physically. We're not far off and when we do put it together it will be something special. To produce three tries and to have created another three or four opportunities shows we're not far away."

The Western Force lost their first three matches this season but bounced back on Saturday with their first win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia made his long-awaited comeback from injury for the Reds but was outplayed by the Force's former All Blacks halfback, Alby Mathewson.

"We're bitterly disappointed with the performance," Genia said. "Too many errors, too many times running into touch and too many poor passes. It wasn't acceptable."

Mathewson broke from the fringes of a lineout in the 32nd minute to put winger Alfi Mafi over for a try, and the Force then held the Reds tryless at home for only the third time in their history.

Winger Lelia Masaga scored three tries for the Chiefs, who rebounded from last weekend's loss to the Stormers to beat the Southern Kings by four tries to two. The Chiefs dedicated their win to captain Liam Messam, who played his 100th Super Rugby match.

"It was really humbling to hear their words," Messam said. "The boys put a lot of onus on playing this one for me. I felt uncomfortable and a bit awkward.

"It's been a pretty nervous couple of weeks to be honest, mentally just trying to get to 100 and then playing the game. I'm really proud of getting there, especially with a couple of close mates out there on the field."