WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Super Rugby Pacific’s playoff race changed only marginally in the weekend’s 11th round as the pacemakers showed few signs of faltering and the others jostled to keep up.
The Wellington-based Hurricanes are still first, the Auckland-based Blues second, the ACT Brumbies still third and the Hamilton-based Chiefs fourth, an order that has remained unchanged for the last several weeks.
Behind them, the Queensland Reds moved up to fifth with a win over the defending champion Crusaders, the Melbourne Rebels dropped back to sixth after losing to the Blues, the Dunedin, New Zealand-based Highlanders are in seventh place after a win over Moana Pasifika in the first Super Rugby match played in Tonga, and the Fijian Drua hung on to remain in the top eight.
The prospects of teams outside the top-eight playoff zone are beginning to fade. Moana Pasifika is now three points behind the Drua in ninth place, the Christchurch-based Crusaders are a further point back in 10th, the New South Wales Waratahs are a full five points behind the Drua in 11th and the last-place Western Force are all but out of the race.
Standings inevitably will change over the last four weeks of the regular season as top teams meet. The Blues and Hurricanes face each other next weekend in a top-of-the-table clash and the Chiefs still have matches to come against the Blues and the Hurricanes.
At the same time, an outside factor may begin to impinge more on the playoff race. Injuries are starting to make an impact as the 15-round regular season progresses.
As an example, the Hurricanes called on their fourth-choice hooker for Friday’s match against the Waratahs, after their three contracted hookers all were injured in recent weeks. Kianu Kereru-Symes stepped up to the mark in just his third Super Rugby match and his first in two years.
He had an outstanding match in the Hurricanes’ 41-12 win over the Waratahs, though the Hurricanes coaches likely covered their eyes when he had to pause to have an ankle heavily strapped.
The Blues seem likely to lose All Blacks center Rieko Ioane for some time after he was knocked out while making a tackle in the Blues’ 38-11 win over the Rebels in Melbourne. He was still dazed as he was helped from the field.
Blues coach Vern Cotter said Ioane “has taken quite a heavy knock. I reassure everybody that he’s fine but there’ll be precautions around when he takes the field again. He won’t be playing next week.”
The Chiefs lost backrower Samipeni Finau and flyhalf Damian McKenzie during their impressive 56-7 win over the Force.
Finau has been making waves on both sides of the Tasman with his powerful tackling. He left the field Saturday with his left arm in a makeshift sling.
“It sounds like it’s going to be OK but probably we will err on the side of caution and rule him out for this week,” Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said.
“He took a pretty hard bang there and it looked pretty nasty. But (we think) it’s just a good old-fashioned bang, not a dislocation so I’m hoping that’s the case and it’s nothing long-term.”
McKenzie left the field for a head injury assessment and didn’t return. His loss at this late stage of the season would be a major blow as statistics show the Chiefs play less well in his absence.
The Crusaders have been one of teams hardest hit by injuries this season. That continued Saturday when captain Scott Barrett, returning after a four-week break with a finger injury, lasted only 14 minutes before leaving the field with an apparent back injury in their 33-28 loss to the Reds.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Ryan Louwrens of the Melbourne Rebels kicks the ball as Scott Barrett of the Crusaders attempts to charge it down during their Super Rugby match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, April 26, 2024. (John Davidson/Photosport/AAP Image/ via AP)
Tamati Tua of the Brumbies scores a try during the Super Rugby game against the Hurricanes in Canberra, Australia, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP)
CANNES, France (AP) — Hollywood royalty is back at the Cannes Film Festival for its annual celebration of cinema along the French Riviera.
Premieres bring an elegant parade of stars nightly and moments that become indelible Cannes images, whether it's Francis Ford Coppola's return to the Palais des Festivals or French actor Judith Godrèche and other actors posing with their hands over their mouths to draw attention to France's burgeoning #MeToo movement.
There's time for levity, too, like Anya Taylor-Joy saluting her “Furiosa” director, George Miller, or the arrival of Messi, the canine “Anatomy of a Fall” star who performed tricks for photographers and served as a bridge to last year's standout festival.
Daytime photocalls can become playgrounds for stars and photographers alike, like when Nic Cage tossed his hat while promoting “The Surfer.” (Hats have been a go-to accessory this year, worn by Coppola and Giancarlo Esposito at the “Megalopolis” premiere; Meryl Streep, an honorary Palme d'Or recipient, opted for one for her photocall.)
Filmmakers praise Cannes for the way it celebrates films and the global platform it provides. So it's only fitting that Coppola returned, 45 years after his “Apocalypse Now” swept through the festival, and so did Paul Schrader, who wrote the 1976 Palme d'or Or winner “Taxi Driver.”
Miller, too, has been a vocal fan of the Cannes festival since serving as a juror and has used it to launch several films.
“I got addicted it to simply because it’s like film camp,” he says. “It’s kind of optimal cinema, really."
And there's still another week to go.
Uma Thurman poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Oh, Canada' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Nicolas Cage poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'The Surfer' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Emma Stone poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Kinds of Kindness' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
“Me Too” director Judith Godreche, center, poses with hands covering their mouth upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
Meryl Streep poses for photographers upon arrival at the awards ceremony and the premiere of the film 'The Second Act' during the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Giancarlo Esposito, from left, Chloe Fineman, Nathalie Emmanuel, director Francis Ford Coppola, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza and Jon Voight pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Megalopolis' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Emma Stone poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Kinds of Kindness' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Anya Taylor-Joy, left, and director George Miller pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Grace VanderWaal, from left, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, director Francis Ford Coppola, and Romy Mars pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Megalopolis' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Anya Taylor-Joy poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Jury member Eva Green poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Kinds of Kindness' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Director Paul Schrader poses for portrait photographs for the film 'Oh, Canada', at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
The cast pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
Messi the dog poses for photographers upon arrival at the awards ceremony and the premiere of the film 'The Second Act' during the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
Joe Alwyn, from left, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Emma Stone, director Yorgos Lanthimos, and Jesse Plemons pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Kinds of Kindness' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
Hunter Schafer, left, and Margaret Qualley pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Kinds of Kindness' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Anya Taylor-Joy poses for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Cole/Invision/AP)
Anya Taylor-Joy, left, and director George Miller pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Meryl Streep poses for photographers during the honorary Palme d'Or photo call at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
Shia LaBeouf, from left, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Driver, director Francis Ford Coppola, Nathalie Emmanuel and Giancarlo Esposito pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Megalopolis' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP)
