HIGHLIGHTS-Rugby-Super Rugby week 15

July 2 (Reuters) - Highlights from week 15 of Super Rugby: JAGUARES 29 BULLS 11 The Jaguares secured their third victory in 13 matches in their debut season against an injury-weakened Bulls side in a game played in a downpour at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires. It was a morale-boosting win for the side, who had 13 players in the Argentina team beaten 27-0 by France last weekend. Hooker Agustin Creevy led from the front with two tries after flanker Pablo Matera was the first to go over in the 13th minute. Flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez kicked 14 points. The Bulls had to wait an hour for their try, replacement scrumhalf Piet van Zyl taking a quick tap penalty and scampering over. Flyhalf Francois Brummer slotted two penalties in the first half. SOUTHERN KINGS 18 HIGHLANDERS 48 Fullback Matt Faddes got a hat-trick of tries as an under-strength Highlanders, who left five All Blacks at home after the 3-0 series win over Wales last month, easily beat the Southern Kings away at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. Dan Pryor, Jack Wilson, Patrick Osborne and Ali Seiuli also scored for the visitors as they bagged a bonus point after running riot in the final stages, crossing their opponent's line three times in the last 10 minutes. The Kings, with two tries from Wandile Mjekevu and retiring captain Steven Sykes, were within two points of the New Zealanders with just a quarter of an hour left, trailing only 18-20, before being blown apart. The Highlanders remain in playoff place contention, while it was the 11th defeat in 13 matches for the Kings, who returned to the competition this year and sit second-bottom. LIONS 37 SHARKS 10 The Lions moved to 47 points and overall leadership of the standings in an emphatic performance at Ellis Park in Johannesburg as they scored five tries to two for the Sharks, securing a bonus point. Four first-half tries -- by Ruan Combrinck, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Malcolm Marx and Ruan Ackermann -- had the Lions 27-0 ahead at the break in a dominant showing, with the ball heading repeatedly in one direction. Jaco Kriel went over for a 37-0 lead just before the hour mark, after which the Sharks scored two quick tries through Lwazi Mvovo and Chiliboy Ralepelle to belatedly get on the scoresheet. The Lions have all but secured their play-off place while the Sharks remain in contention for a wild card berth. CHEETAHS 30 FORCE 29 The Cheetahs hung on grimly in a cold Bloemfontein for a narrow victory after they squandered the advantage of a four-try blitz in the first half and were fortunate to emerge winners. Dane Haylett-Petty, with two fine tries, led a second-half revival for Australia's Force as they came from 27-10 down at halftime to lead 29-27 with minutes to go. But Fred Zeilinga kicked a penalty to restore the Cheetahs' advantage, which they managed to maintain despite the Force's late efforts. Paul Schoeman, Uzair Cassiem, Clayton Blommetjies and Sergeal Petersen all went over for tries for the Cheetahs inside the opening 35 minutes while the Force replied through Kyle Godwin before the break. Replacement flyhalf Peter Grant had a last-minute effort for the Force but his penalty attempt from the halfway line fell well short. REBELS 31 STORMERS 57 Replacement hooker Scarra Ntubeni trundled over from the back of a maul after the final hooter to seal a 57-31 bonus-point win for the Stormers over the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday. The pivotal moment of the match came with the scores tied at 31-31 after 60 minutes when the home side's replacement flanker Scott Fuglistaller was sin-binned for collapsing a maul and the Stormers took full advantage of the extra man to pull away. The victory moved the Africa 1 conference-leading Stormers on to 41 points from 13 games, nine clear of the Bulls, and well on target for a playoffs berth. HURRICANES 37 BLUES 27 Wellington lock Vaea Fifita scored a brace of tries after the break as the Hurricanes rallied from a 10-point deficit to record a vital 37-27 home victory over the Auckland Blues to close in on the New Zealand conference leaders. Flyhalf Beauden Barrett was perfect from the kicking tee, going seven-for-seven, while Reg Goodes and Dane Coles also touched down to cancel out two first-half tries from Blues loose forward Jerome Kaino and another from Kara Pryor for the visitors. The victory lifts the Hurricanes up to 44 points from 13 games, one behind the Canterbury Crusaders and two adrift of the Waikato Chiefs with two fixtures remaining. The defeat leaves the Blues (30 points) on the brink of elimination. SUNWOLVES 12 WARATAHS 57 The NSW Waratahs made light work of the Sunwolves in the sweltering Tokyo heat to run in nine unanswered tries on the way to a 57-12 drubbing that took them back level on points with the ACT Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference. Reece Robinson and Matt Lucas scored two tries apiece and five other Waratahs touched down as the Wallabies-laden side proved too strong, mobile and skilful for their game -- but limited -- opponents, who are making their Super Rugby debut this season. The bonus-point triumph lifted the Waratahs up to 39 points with two rounds remaining, matching the Brumbies' tally as the battle for Australian supremacy appears destined to be decided in the final round of fixtures. READ MORE Lions consolidate lead in South Africa conference (nL4N19O0DF) Fifita helps Hurricanes blow away Blues McKenzie penalty takes Chiefs past Crusaders Perrett to become first female official Lock Douglas set for return with Reds Lions skipper Whiteley to miss rest of campaign New Zealand Super Rugby conference Australia Super Rugby conference Africa 1 Super Rugby Conference Africa 2 Super Rugby Conference Super Rugby 2016 at a glance Super Rugby 2016 fixtures Super Rugby champions BRUMBIES 43 REDS 24 The ACT Brumbies overcame a slow start to maintain their push for top spot in Super Rugby's Australian conference with a 43-24 bonus-point victory over the Queensland Reds in Canberra on Friday. The Brumbies trailed 10-0 after 16 minutes but Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore scored two tries to lead the home side's recovery, with Ben Alexander, Christian Lealiifano, Tomas Cubelli and Lausii Taliauli also touching down. Andrew Ready, Duncan Paia'Aua and Taniela Tupou responded for the Reds but the Brumbies took a maximum haul to move to 39 points after 13 matches, five clear of the NSW Waratahs, who will hope to beat the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday. CHIEFS 23 CRUSADERS 13 Waikato fullback Damian McKenzie slotted a penalty as time expired to deny the Canterbury Crusaders a bonus point as the Chiefs secured a 23-13 victory to go top of the standings as Super Rugby returned after the international break. In a game marked by a succession of handling errors at a rain-soaked ANZ Stadium in the Fijian capital of Suva, the Chiefs emerged victorious in a battle of the top two teams in the New Zealand conference to enhance their title credentials. Waikato outscored Canterbury by two tries to one, all in the first half, with James Lowe and Brad Weber touching down for the Chiefs, and Jone Macilai responding for the Crusaders on the stroke of halftime. (Compiled by Rex Gowar, Greg Stutchbury, John O'Brien and Mark Gleeson; Editing by Peter Rutherford, Ed Osmond, Neville Dalton and Ken Ferris)