SYDNEY, May 17 (Reuters) - The New South Wales Waratahs beat their Australian arch-rivals the Queensland Reds 18-11 at Brisbane on Saturday to seal their Super 14 semi-final place.
The Waratahs scored two unanswered tries to lead 12-3 at the break then added two penalties in the second half to reach the last four for the third time in the last four seasons.
They faced the prospect of missing out if they had failed to win but ensured a regular season second place finish behind New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders to secure a home semi-final in Sydney next weekend against the eventual third-placed team.
"It wasn't pretty tonight but we got away with a win," NSW captain Phil Waugh said in a televised interview.
"We knew it was going to be tough and we've got a lot to work on but it's great to be heading back to Sydney."
Queensland, who were already out of the running for a spot in the playoffs, scored a last-minute consolation try through left wing Peter Hynes to likely end the season in 12th place after finishing bottom last year.
"The boys put in a big effort but we just didn't come away the points because we didn't hold on to the ball long enough," Queensland skipper James Horwill said.
"We've made a lot of improvement this year but we're still not where we want to be so there's a lot of work still to do."
The Waratahs seized control of the match when Dean Mumm crashed over for a 21st minute try after a sustained buildup. Teenaged flyhalf Kurtley Beale landed the conversion after missing two earlier penalty attempts.
Queensland replied with a penalty from fullback Clinton Schifcofske but the Waratahs struck a vital blow when Wycliff Palu burst through a hole and scored on the stroke of halftime.
The Reds closed to within six points early in the second half with a drop goal from flyhalf Berrick Barnes but NSW pulled clear when Beale booted two penalties before Hynes' consolation.
(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Padraic Halpin) ((julian.linden@thomsonreuters.com; +61409121090; Reuters Messaging: julian.linden.reuters.com@reuters.net.; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
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Keywords: RUGBY SUPER/QUEENSLAND
By John Mehaffey
LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - England openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss safely negotiated a rain-interrupted opening session on the third day of the first test against New Zealand at Lord's on Saturday.
At lunch England had reached 89 without loss after resuming on 68 for no wicket in reply to New Zealand's first innnings 277. Alastair Cook was on 53, his 10th test half-century, and Andrew Strauss had scored 31.
Rain delayed play for 25 minutes on Saturday after five stoppages for bad light on Friday afternoon. The rain returned 40 minutes later and the umpires decided to take an early lunch.
New Zealand opening bowlers Chris Martin and Kyle Mills bowled with more fire and control on Saturday after swapping ends.
Martin completed his ninth over from the Nursery End and Mills took up the attack from the Pavilion End.
Strauss slashed the first boundary of the day 28 minutes into the session when he carved Martin over the slips and in the next over Cook eased Mills to the cover boundary.
Cook, 43 not out overnight, brought up his half-century from 79 balls with six fours.
Martin, bowling around the wicket to the two left-handers, kept a probing off-stump line and beat Strauss with a delivery which could have caught the edge. Strauss also missed with an attempted hook which he never looked to have under control. (Editing by Clare Lovell) ((john.mehaffey@reuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: john.mehaffey.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
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Keywords: CRICKET ZEALAND/
May 17 (Reuters) - New South Wales Waratahs (Australia) beat Queensland Reds (Australia) 18-11 (halftime 12-3) in a Super 14 match at Brisbane on Saturday.
Scorers:
Queensland Reds - Try: Peter Hynes; Penalty: Clinton Schifcofske; Drop goal: Berrick Barnes.
New South Wales Waratahs - Tries: Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu; Conversion: Kurtley Beale; Penalties: Beale (2). (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Neil Maidment) ((julian.linden@thomsonreuters.com; +61409121090; Reuters Messaging: julian.linden.reuters.com@reuters.net.; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
Keywords: RUGBY SUPER/QUEENSLAND RESULT
By John Mehaffey
LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - Five stoppages for bad light deprived spectators of 43.1 overs in the first test between England and New Zealand at Lord's on Friday.
Frustrated spectators, who had paid around 60 pounds ($116) for a a ticket, whistled and booed as the players left the field and returned with no apparent change in the light.
The senior umpire, Jamaican Steve Bucknor, was a particular target as he stood with Simon Taufel in the middle consulting his light meter while making no move to call the players out again.
"The International Cricket Council will call it thoroughness but from elsewhere it simply looked like another white-coated official being a jobsworth at Lord's," Derek Pringle wrote in Saturday's Daily Telegraph.
"As one of the press photographers confirmed, the light did not really change all day, except through the light meter wielded by Mr Bucknor."
Former England international and coach David Lloyd said Friday had been "an absolute shocker today for everybody concerned".
"I think that there should be better communication from the umpires out in the middle and from the announcements just so that everybody knows exactly what is happening and what the light meter readings are," Lloyd told the cricinfo Web site (www.cricinfo.com).
"You can tell the public that the conditions have now improved so we're going on. If the umpire was microphoned-up and you could hear him in the ground, he could then tell everybody on the ground."
Rain delayed the start of play for 25 minutes on Saturday and the players left the field 40 minutes later after another shower on a dull, overcast day in which bad light could again be a factor. (Editing by Clare Lovell) ((john.mehaffey@reuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: john.mehaffey.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
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Keywords: CRICKET ZEALAND/LIGHT
May 17 (Reuters) - Scoreboard at lunch on the third day of
the first test between England and New Zealand at Lord's,
London, on Saturday.
New Zealand first innings (overnight 208-6)
J. How c Ambrose b Anderson 7
A. Redmond c Cook b Anderson 0
J. Marshall c Strauss b Broad 24
R. Taylor c Collingwood b Broad 19
B. McCullum b Panesar 97
D. Flynn b Anderson 9
J. Oram c Strauss b Sidebottom 28
D. Vettori b Sidebottom 48
K. Mills b Sidebottom 10
T. Southee b Sidebottom 1
C. Martin not out 0
Extras (b-16 lb-14 w-1 nb-3) 34
Total (all out, 86.2 overs) 277
Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-18 3-41 4-76 5-104 6-203 7-222 8-258
9-260 10-277
Bowling: Sidebottom 28.2-12-55-4, Anderson 20-5-66-3 (1nb
1w), Broad 24-4-85-2 (2nb), Collingwood 3-1-11-0, Panesar
11-2-30-1.
England first innings
A. Strauss not out 31
A. Cook not out 53
Extras (nb-5) 5
Total (for no wicket, 30.2 overs) 89
Bowling (to date): Martin 13-2-36-0 (2nb), Mills 9.2-1-19-0
(3nb), Southee 3-0-19-0, Oram 5-0-15-0.
To bat: M. Vaughan, K. Pietersen, I. Bell, P. Collingwood,
T. Ambrose, S. Broad, R. Sidebottom, M. Panesar, J. Anderson.
(Compiled by Neil Maidment; Editing by John Mehaffey)
((neil.maidment@reuters.com; +44207 542 0865; Reuters
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