Du Preez, who had darted 40 meters through a backpedalling defense to set up Gary Botha's try to give the Bulls a 28-19 lead with 12 minutes remaining, had a try disallowed minutes later after he had scampered 70 meters following an intercept.

Referee Jonathan Kaplan instead returned to just outside the Bulls 22-meter area after advice from his assistant referee Kane McBride to issue a penalty against Deon Stegmann for a dangerous and late tackle.

Inside center Stephen Donald, however, missed the easy penalty attempt and the fight went out of the home side, and a late Dewald Potgieter try gave the visitors a bonus point win and ensured they went to the top of the Super 14 table.

"It's great to (finally) win here," Bulls captain Victor Matfield said after his side won their first Super rugby game in Hamilton. "It's always good to win in New Zealand (because) it's the toughest place in the world to tour."   The South African side went into the break with a 15-13 lead courtesy of tries by winger Gerhard van den Heever and number eight Pierre Spies, while Morne Steyn added a conversion and penalty, though he surprisingly missed three other kicks at goal.

Chiefs scrumhalf Brendon Leonard also capitalized on sloppy handling by Steyn to pick up a loose ball five meters out and force his way over.

Donald added a conversion and two penalties to ensure the gap was two points at the break before he added two more early in the second half to give the Chiefs a 19-15 lead.

Steyn added two more penalties before du Preez, whose cover defense had been superb, took the game by the scruff of the neck and ensured his side did not suffer their second successive defeat after they had lost 32-17 to the Auckland Blues last week.
 

In Sydney,  powerhouse No. 8 Wycliff Palu has rejected lucrative overseas offers to try to win next year's rugby World Cup with the Wallabies, the Australian Rugby Union said on Friday.

The 27-year-old has re-signed with the ARU and his Super rugby franchise the New South Wales Waratahs through until 2012.

"I like the way this Wallabies team is moving forward under (coach) Robbie Deans," Palu said in a statement. "It had a big influence on my decision to stay in Australia.

"I definitely want to play at the World Cup next year because I think we've a real chance. If I didn't believe that I probably would have left."   The Super 14-leading Waratahs play the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.

The ACT Brumbies, meanwhile, have re-signed inside backs Matt Toomua (20) and Christian Lealiifano (22), also until 2012, the team said on their website (http://www.brumbies.com.au).

"It's a great result to have two of the country's leading young talent returning to the side for the next two years," Brumbies coach Andy Friend said.