Feb 14 (Reuters) - Scrumhalf Cortez Ratima scored a try four minutes from the end as the Waikato Chiefs came from behind to edge hosts Auckland Blues 19-15 in their opening game of the Super Rugby Pacific season at Eden Park on Saturday, as the ACT Brumbies also made a winning start.
Chiefs, beaten finalists last year, looked to be heading for an opening game defeat until Samipeni Finau made a break through some tired tackles and fed substitute Ratima to cross for the match-winning try.
It was a fixture largely dominated by defence as it took until the 32nd minute for the first points on the board when Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa'i went over for an unconverted try.
Zarn Sullivan responded with a score within three minutes for the Blues to leave the game level at 5-5 at halftime.
Dalton Papali'i put the home side back in front with a second score, before Samisoni Taukei'aho levelled matters again.
When Sullivan kicked a penalty it looked for a long time as though that might be enough, until Ratima stole the show for new Chiefs coach Jono Gibbes.
"We absorbed a hell of a lot of pressure in that second half, so what it took was us staying in that moment," Gibbes said.
"The boys just hung tight until the final minute, even under pressure. They dealt with what was in front of them and got that opportunity to win the game."
The Brumbies were comfortable 56-24 bonus point winners over the Western Force in Perth as they pulled away in the second half.
Flyhalf Declan Meredith scored two tries as the visitors turned a narrow 14-10 halftime lead into a sizeable advantage in the third quarter as prop Rhys van Nek and scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan scored shortly after the break.
When Meredith and wing Corey Toole added further tries, the bonus point was secured in a statement win.
Moana Pasifika brushed off the absence of Japan-based talisman Ardie Savea to defeat Fijian Drua 40-26, recording their first Super Rugby win in Lautoka.
Loose-forward Miracle Faiilagi scored a hat-trick of tries for the visitors as they scored three times in the opening 17 minutes to lay the platform for a bruising win.
Moana Pasifika led 28-12 at halftime and had to weather a storm in the second period, but managed to get their campaign under way on a positive note.
The Super Rugby Pacific season started on Friday when the Otago Highlanders stunned the defending champion Canterbury Crusaders 25-23, and the New South Wales Waratahs were too strong for the Queensland Reds in a 36-12 victory in Sydney.
(Reporting by Nick Said in Cape Town; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
