Champions Waikato Chiefs and the Northern Bulls kept the heat on Super 15 frontrunners ACT Brumbies with victories this weekend as the NSW Waratahs went on a 11-try rampage in South Africa. The Chiefs beat the Rebels 39-33 to draw level with the Brumbies on 40 points at the top of the overall standings ahead of Sunday's home match between the Australian conference leaders and the Canterbury Crusaders. The Bulls edged two points clear at the top of the South African conference with a bonus-point 48-14 win over New Zealand's Wellington Hurricanes in Pretoria.

Morne Steyn was Northern Bulls match-winner once again Saturday as he scored 25 points in a 30-19 Super 15 triumph over Australian visitors New South Wales Waratahs. After kicking six penalties and a conversion at Loftus Versfeld stadium, the fly-half scored a last-minute try to seal an eighth consecutive victory over Waratahs and deprive them of a losing bonus point they deserved. Scrum-half Francois Hougaard, who came on as a second-half replacement for Jano Vermaak after a lengthy injury absence, was the other Bulls scorer with a try in front of a 21,000 crowd.

Springboks and Northern Bulls full-back Zane Kirchner has signed a two-year contract with Irish province Leinster, his franchise said Monday. Kirchner, 28, is the latest South African rugby union star to move abroad as the financial rewards are far greater in Europe, especially with the rand struggling against major currencies. Pretoria-based Bulls, three time winners of the southern hemisphere Super Rugby championship, will lose fly-half Morne Steyn and lock Juandre Kruger to French Top 14 sides this year.

Result of a Super 15 match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Saturday: Southern Kings (RSA) 0 Northern Bulls (RSA) 34 H-t: 0-20 Scorers Bulls - Tries: Jan Serfontein, Jano Vermaak, Jacques Potgieter, Odwa Ndungane. Conversions: Morne Steyn (2), Louis Fouche (2). Penalty: Steyn. Drop goal: Steyn Referee: Francisco Pastrana (ARG) afp