Sunwolves earn first Super Rugby win in Australia

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Sunwolves earn first Super Rugby win in Australia

2019-03-29 18:53 Last Updated At：19:00

A week after learning they are to be axed from Super Rugby, Japan's Sunwolves delivered a withering riposte to tournament organizers by beating the New South Wales Waratahs 31-29 on Friday.

The Sunwolves posted their first ever win in Australia after winger Semisi Masirewa scored three tries and flyhalf Hayden Parker, in his 50th match, maintained a perfect goalkicking record for the season — 27 from 27.

They lost to the Waratahs by one point in Tokyo this season but turned the tables in Newcastle, holding onto a two-point lead for 16 minutes to upset the Australian conference leaders.

Super Rugby organizers SANZAAR have ruled the Sunwolves will be dumped from the tournament after 2020. But that decision seemed untimely as the Sunwolves improved on a season in which they have also claimed their first win in New Zealand.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks on the field and off," Sunwolves captain Dan Pryor said. "But the boys have put it behind them and they put in a performance tonight.

"They just dug deep. I asked in every huddle, 'Just keep working, keep working,' and they did."

The Waratahs shocked the Sunwolves with a try after 90 seconds and led 12-3 before the Sunwolves rallied with tries to Masirewa and Grant Hattingh to led 17-12 at halftime. They led at halftime in their previous two matches against Australian teams before losing but avoided that fate on Friday.

The Waratahs went ahead with a try to Michael Hooper after two minutes of the second half but Masirewa struck twice within two minutes to give the Sunwolves a lead they were able to defend.

A week after beating the defending champion Crusaders, the Waratahs suffered a stinging defeat.

"Crashed back to earth there," Hooper said.

Earlier, the Crusaders bounced back from their loss to the Waratahs with a commanding 32-8 win over the Wellington-based Hurricanes.

Fullback David Havili scored two tries as the Crusaders outclassed a Hurricanes team full of talent but stricken by handling errors.

The Hurricanes had as much ball as the Crusaders and as many scoring chances but made 15 handling errors to seven and more than 30 errors overall to concede any winning chance.

In contrast, the Crusaders eliminated the handling mistakes that contributed to their loss to the Waratahs.

"Last week was tough," Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock said. "A six-day turnaround was great for us. The boys wanted to get on the horse straight away. They were really keen to come here, a place where we haven't had a lot of luck lately."

Many of the Hurricanes' problems centered on All Blacks flyhalf and two-time world rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett, who conceded one try from an intercepted pass and another from a wayward kick. Barrett's skills remain obvious but his tactical mistakes, especially his misjudged kicking, have been costly and he may be more effective at fullback.

All Blacks captain Kieran Read returned to the Crusaders for his first match of 2019 and played a quiet role in the first half before being replaced.

The Crusaders' physical impact came from Whetu Douglas on the blindside flank. Bryn Hall had a strong game at scrumhalf and Ryan Crotty's strength in midfield was a key part of the Crusaders' efficient finishing.

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Maye throws late TD pass and Patriots' defense roughs up Herbert, Chargers in 16-3 playoff win

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.

Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.

It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.

“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”

Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.

Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.

In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.

“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.

He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.

New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.

“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”

This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.

Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.

“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.

“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”

The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.

The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.

After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.

Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.

The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.

Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.

“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.

The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.

With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.

Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.

The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.

Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.

Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.

Chargers: End of season.

Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.

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