Clinical Chiefs down Waratahs to reach Super Rugby semis

SYDNEY : Skipper Brad Weber scored two tries as the Waikato Chiefs waltzed into the Super Rugby semi-finals with a convincing 39-15 victory over an error-prone New South Wales Waratahs side in Hamilton on Saturday.

The Chiefs ran in three tries for a 27-10 halftime lead, and scrumhalf Weber and number eight Pita Gus Sowakula crossed in the final quarter to snuff out any chance of a comeback from the visitors.

"Incredibly satisfying," said Weber. "It's nice to see so many loyal Chiefs fans out here and it was great we were able to put on a show for them."

The Chiefs join the Canterbury Crusaders in the last four after the 10-times Super Rugby champions steamrollered the Queensland Reds in the second half to secure a 37-15 win in Christchurch on Friday night.

The table-topping Auckland Blues later take on the Otago Highlanders at Eden Park in the third quarter-final before the ACT Brumbies host the Wellington Hurricanes in Canberra to decide the final semi-finalists.

The Waratahs, who lost all 13 games last season, had crossed the Tasman Sea from Sydney determined to continue their resurgence under new coach Darren Coleman.

They scored tries early in each half but a rash of handling errors at key moments robbed them of the opportunity to chase the game.

The Chiefs had the cowbells ringing early at Waikato Stadium when skipper Weber scurried through a huge gap in the Waratahs' defence from a lineout move to score the game's first try in the sixth minute.

The Waratahs hit straight back, though, when winger Dylan Pietsch latched on to a Ben Donaldson grubber kick and finished well in the corner.

Waratahs flyhalf Tane Edmed adding the extras before converting a penalty to tie the scores up at 10-10 after 19 minutes.

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