SYDNEY (AP) The New South Wales Waratahs overcame the first-minute loss of England-bound center Kurtley Beale to beat South Africa's Bulls 31-8 in Super Rugby on Saturday.
A day after signing a multi-million-dollar, two-year deal to join Wasps - reportedly making him the richest player in English rugby - Beale landed awkwardly on his left knee on the newly laid surface at Sydney Football Stadium and was taken off the field on a stretcher.
Initial reports suggested he sustained a tendon injury.
The Waratahs picked up a bonus point with a try to replacement prop Angus Ta'avao with 90 seconds remaining, moving them into first place in the Australian conference, a point ahead of the ACT Brumbies. It was the third consecutive home win by the Waratahs over a South African opponent.
Even without five senior players because of disciplinary suspension, the Wellington-based Hurricanes beat the Queensland Reds 29-14 with a bonus point. The Hurricanes didn't have All Blacks Cory Jane, Julian Savea and Victor Vito, backrower Ardie Savea and prop Chris Eves, who were stood down for one match for breaching team curfew during a recent tour to South Africa.
Wes Goosen and Jason Woodward, who replaced Jane and Julian Savea on the wings, shared three tries as the Hurricanes kept their playoff hopes alive with a five-tries-to-one home victory. They remain only a point behind the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders, who are atop the New Zealand conference.
While a crumbling scrum and the goalkicking of flyhalf Beauden Barrett remained a concern, the Hurricanes were able to prey on mistakes from the Reds.
They conceded six penalties in the first half, two of which were converted into points by Reds fullback Ayumu Gorumaru, but a late try to Coles gave the Hurricanes a 12-6 lead at halftime.
Gorumaru cut the lead to 12-9 while the Reds were down to 14 men immediately after the break but Woodward's first try made it 17-9 soon after.
Winger Chris Feauai-Sautia scored to put the Reds within five points before Laumape's try and Woodward's second in stoppage time boosted the Hurricanes' margin.
Reds captain James Slipper said Coles' try immediately before halftime was costly.
''Conceding that try really hurt us,'' he said. ''But we were pretty confident with the way we were playing. We probably just didn't execute at the right times, and it's a pretty powerful Hurricanes outfit so they just executed off their opportunities.''
