Brumbies close gap after Reds stun Chiefs, Saders win ugly

SYDNEY : The second-placed ACT Brumbies took full advantage of a first loss of the season for Super Rugby Pacific leaders the Waikato Chiefs with a 48-32 victory over the Otago Highlanders on Sunday to close the gap at the top of the standings to five points.

The Queensland Reds handed the Chiefs their first defeat in 11 matches this season to open round 12 in New Plymouth on Friday night, the stunning 25-22 win their first in New Zealand for a decade.

The Brumbies had to dig deep to avoid another upset in the final match of the weekend against the lowly Highlanders but hit the front for good in the 66th minute after a brilliant individual try from winger Corey Toole.

Number eight Pete Samu matched Toole with his second try of the match two minutes from time to secure the bonus point and send the Canberra club four points clear of the Wellington Hurricanes and Canterbury Crusaders.

"It was good to see the Reds step up there and beat the Chiefs, that certainly helps us in terms of where we can finish on the ladder, but we're not getting ahead of ourselves," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.

The reigning champion Crusaders sent out a warning to the rest of the competition that they are hitting their formidable stride by grinding out a 15-3 over the Auckland Blues on Saturday night in a blockbuster rematch of last year's final.

Lock Quinten Strange and winger Leicester Fainga'anuku scored the only tries of a defence-dominated contest in Christchurch, and the Blues played for 20 minutes with 14 men after their skipper Dalton Papali'i was red-carded.

"To hold them to three points was a huge testament," Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said.

"At times it was probably a bit ugly, and we didn't fire too many shots, but we closed