South African upsets scramble playoff race

Published May. 11, 2008 11:30 a.m. ET

foxsports

Two surprise results in South Africa scrambled the playoff race in rugby's Super 14, leaving two New Zealand, one South African and one Australian team in the top four going into next weekend's final round.

The sleeping Lions, in last place through most of the season and winless since the competition's opening round on Feb. 15, beat the Waikato Chiefs 33-27 at Johannesburg, severely damaging the Chiefs' playoff chances.

Later in Cape Town, the second-place New South Wales Waratahs and the fourth-place Stormers drew 13-13, blurring the playoff picture. That surprise result allowed the Wellington Hurricanes and Sharks - both 13th-round winners - to climb into the top four, removing the Stormers and Chiefs.