The New South Wales Waratahs moved into first place in rugby's Super 14 tournament with a 40-17 win over South Africa's Cheetahs Saturday. The Waratahs are level with the defending champion Bulls from South Africa with 28 points each, but lead on points differential. The Bulls lost their first match of the season after six straight wins when they were defeated 32-17 by the Auckland Blues earlier Saturday. The Waratahs led 23-3 at halftime. Rob Horne, in the 26th minute, capitalized on a clean break by his center partner Berrick Barnes, and prop Benn Robinson scored after the halftime siren had sounded. Flyhalf Daniel Halangahu added both conversions, plus penalty goals in the ninth, 18th and 37th minutes for a five-from-five record. In Auckland, the Waikato Chiefs scored two tries in a 12-minute second-half spell to beat the Otago Highlanders 27-21 at Mount Maunganui Saturday and keep their semifinal hopes alive. Trailing 15-10 at halftime, the Chiefs blew the game open with a try by number eight Sione Lauaki six minutes after the break. Prop Sona Taumalolo then burrowed into a ruck and emerged with a try in the 58th minute to put the Chiefs 25-18 up. Fullback Israel Dagg slotted a penalty to reduce the deficit to six points, but the Highlanders were unable to add to the scoreboard in the last 12 minutes and slumped to their sixth loss from eight matches. In the late match in Durban, the Sharks continued their return to form in Super 14 rugby by overturning an 11-point deficit to edge the Queensland Reds 30-28 for a third straight victory. Second-half tries from Odwa Ndungane, Jacques Botes and Springboks winger JP Pietersen saw the Sharks home Saturday after they had trailed 21-9 to a Reds side inspired by flyhalf Quade Cooper. Cooper started and finished a move in the 11th minute to give the Reds the lead. Rugby league convert Will Chambers then scored two tries, his second created by Cooper, to put the Australian team in control. But the Sharks replied with three tries in 22 minutes and held on despite Greg Holmes' bonus
