Author: Will McDougall

The Waratahs produced their best half of rugby all year to erase a 17 point half time deficit to defeat the Highlanders in Sydney. A comeback of epic proportions had the Waratahs fans in raptures and the Highlanders stunned. First Half The Waratahs settled into the game well and it appeared that the disastrous start against the Brumbies a week ago was a distant memory. An early attacking raid resulted in a penalty and Foley put the home side ahead 3-nil. A quick reply from the Highlanders levelled the scores but from the ensuing kick off Michael Wells forced a…

The battle for the top of the Aussie conference proved a memorable one at AAMI Park as the Waratahs emerged victorious in a come from behind victory over the Rebels. First Half The Waratahs failed to secure the opening kick off and from there the Rebels piled on the pressure through some strong ball carries which ultimately resulted in the Waratahs conceding a penalty and Reece Hodge kicked the Rebels to a 3 – nil lead. The next 10 or so minutes featured plenty of errors from both sides. The Waratahs were impatient and looked to spread the ball wide…

Frustrated would be the word to best describe the emotions of Waratahs fans as they watched their side squander countless opportunities to as they failed to end the win streak of New Zealand teams over Australian sides. First Half The Waratahs went on attack in the first couple of minutes and made the unusual decision to opt for a shot at goal when awarded a penalty 30 metres out and 5 metres in from the sideline. The Tahs have generally chosen to kick for the corner when awarded a non-trivial shot at goal but this time they took the shot.…

It took the Waratahs a good twenty minutes to acclimatise to the heat in Tokyo, but once they took to the 30 degree weather, they put the blowtorch to the Sunwolves and ran away with a nine try victory. The Match From the opening whistle, everything from the Waratahs was scrappy. Perhaps a few of the players realised they’d forgotten to vote or were regretting not being at home to enjoy an election day democracy sausage with tomato sauce but it was clear their minds weren’t on the job. Line breaks were easy to come by but handling, passing and…

Wallabies vs England First Test Player Ratings Despite scoring the opening two tries, the Wallabies’ discipline was poor throughout the match and Eddie Jones’ English team drew first blood in the three test series. Whilst the backline looked good, there were too many errors and our forward pack got outplayed both at set piece and around the park. Here are the ratings. [one_third last=”no”] 1. Scott Sio Had possibly his most difficult game in gold. Was outplayed by Dan Cole at scrum time and gave away multiple penalties before a yellow card meant his last ten minutes were on the…

The Waratahs might be sitting on top of the Aussie conference but their situation couldn’t be more precarious. With four matches to go it looks like the Waratahs will need to win all of them to make the finals and on Friday night at Allianz Stadium they face the current competition leaders, the Chiefs. It’s not often the Waratahs run out at home as underdogs but that’s precisely the scenario against a red hot Chiefs side that has played some scintillating rugby in 2016. The Waratahs After four straight wins, the Waratahs went to Christchurch last week with plenty of…

The Waratahs found themselves in familiar territory at Newlands late on Saturday night needing a try to win in the final minutes. For the first time in 2016 they were up to the task and snatched a 32-30 win against the Stormers. The Match When Dean Mumm fluffed the opening kick-off reception into touch it handed possession to the Stormers and set the tone for the pressure the Waratahs were going to be under in the first half. A couple of early penalty goal misses from Jean-Luc du Plessis kept the scorers idle and after absorbing pressure for much of…

It’s only week 8 but already the Waratahs season is well and truly on the line. Having already completed their two byes, the Tahs have a game in hand but that is cold comfort when you’ve lost your last two matches at home and the only team you’ve beaten is the Reds. The Brumbies are riding high on top of the Aussie conference but can’t afford a slip up with the highflying Melbourne Rebels even with them on the table on points. This match could have big ramifications on the season for both teams. With both sides coming off a…

2016 heralds the start of a new era at Moore Park with plenty of key changes for the Waratahs. After 8 years as an assistant coach, Daryl Gibson finally gets to sit in the hotseat as a Super Rugby head coach. Whilst Gibson isn’t known for the sort of firebrand antics that Cheika was renowned for, he certainly isn’t a light touch. In each public statement, Gibson has made it clear that he plans to continue the attacking and physical brand of football that became the Waratahs’ trademark under Cheika. As the attack coach through that era, Gibson can certainly take…

The task of handing out player ratings after copping a flogging is hardly much fun. Few of the Wallabies impressed and the Bledisloe Cup is lost for another year. The All Blacks found the form that went missing in Sydney and the Wallabies simply had no answers. A horror period whilst playing with 14 men put the game out of touch early in the second half. It was hard going for Wallabies and Wallaby fans alike. Here are the ratings. [one_third last=”no”] 1. Scott Sio Was hit and miss at scrum time earning a penalty but giving away a couple. Kept…

The Waratahs tour of South Africa began in disappointing fashion with a 27 to 22 defeat to the Lions on Saturday night. The Match The Lions began the game with a clear edge in their enthusiasm and physicality. A turnover followed by a breakout down the left hand side provided the field position which eventually yielded the first try. It was apparent from the first instance that the Lions were willing to chance their arm and would really take some beating. A penalty goal from their first foray into the Lions 22 kept the Waratahs in touch. When Stephen Hoiles…

Fans have been waiting almost 300 days to see a rematch of the 2014 Super Rugby Final and this Saturday at ANZ Stadium it will finally arrive. What fans might not have been expecting however is that it features the sixth and ninth ranked sides in the competition. The form The Waratahs’ topsy turvy season continues to roll on after a shaky win at home against the Sharks last start which has helped put some distance between them and their dismal performance the week before against the Force. It’s there for the taking for the Tahs; a favourable run home…

Even after spending the weekend off with the bye, the Hurricanes are still sitting pretty on top of the Super Rugby table. With seven wins from seven starts, they’re three points clear of the Chiefs who’ve played an extra game. The Waratahs arrive in Wellington with their collective tail between their legs after a dismal loss to the Stormers. Can the Waratahs conjure a performance to test the rampant Hurricanes? The form The Waratahs were not expecting to leave Allianz Stadium last Saturday night with a demoralising loss but that’s where they find themselves. After underestimating the Stormers they were made…

Six days after a dramatic return to form against the Brumbies, the Waratahs will be champing at the bit to run out onto Allianz Stadium in front of another excited Waratahs crowd on Saturday night. Into town step the Auckland Blues who have somehow managed to not be fresh after the bye after halfback Bryn Hall was injured playing club rugby. The Form What’s there to say about the Blues? They’re pretty much the same as usual. A great looking side on paper with a scintillating backline that can tear any side to ribbons. Unfortunately, when it plays out on…

After a week off, the Green & Gold Rugby Power Rankings are back. It’s been a big couple of weeks with nail biting losses for the Force and Rebels and a spiteful encounter in South Africa between the Sharks and the Chiefs just some of the highlights. Round 6 concluded with a mammoth battle between the Waratahs and Brumbies in Sydney. 1. Hurricanes (no change) – the ‘Canes are the only undefeated team in the competition and have accounted for the Blues and the Highlanders over the last two weeks. Neither game has been a walkover but the men from…

Here it is – the G&GR writers’ Super Rugby team of the week for round 5. The Brumbies and the Rebels had wins whilst the Reds, Force and Waratahs lost but who made the team of the week? [one_third last=”no”] 1. Benn Robinson Made 11 tackles and helped get the Waratahs scrum on top. If the other forwards had put in his effort, the Tahs might have won. [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Pat Leafa Was part of a dominant Rebels scrum and made 8 tackles missing none. His best game of the year. [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”] 3. Ben Alexander Scored…

Round 4 of Super Rugby produced one incredibly surprising result. The Chiefs lost at home to the Highlanders. Despite having the bulk of possession and attacking opportunities, the Chiefs could do little but shoot themselves in the foot against the plucky Clan from Dunedin. After four rounds, there are only two unbeaten teams left and both will be looking to extend their streaks. 1. Hurricanes (up 1 place) – despite having the week off and dropping to fourth on the ladder, the Hurricanes find themselves on top of the Super Rugby Power Rankings. They’re three from three and play their…

The big surprise to come out of round 3 of Super Rugby was that this time, all the favourites won. The manner in which the Chiefs dismantled the Crusaders was probably the most empahtic result of the weekend whilst the Hurricanes proved that two wins in South Africa were no fluke by flogging a disappointing Western Force. So here we go again. Green & Gold Rugby’s Power Rankings after round 3. 1. Chiefs (no change) – this was billed as the match of the round and you could just about argue it was. Not because it was close though. The…

With two rounds of the competition complete, the stronger teams are starting to emerge and a couple of backmarkers are looking more likely. What’s clear however is that the bulk of the competition is very even and teams wanting to be there at the pointy end of the season can’t afford to fall behind early. There are no easy games this year so we should expect plenty of upsets. So without further ado, here are Green & Gold Rugby’s Power Rankings after round 2. 1. Chiefs (no change) – a last gasp penalty to Aaron Cruden saw the Chiefs emerge victorious…

After one round of Super Rugby, the proverbial cat has well and truly been thrown amongst the pigeons with five of the seven games producing upsets. Unlike the 2014 competition, away teams experienced unprecedented success and all of a sudden, the picture of how 2015 will pan out doesn’t seem so clear. Which brings us to Green & Gold Rugby’s Super Rugby Power Rankings. Here is how we see things after round 1. 1. Chiefs – started the season as favourites to take out the cup. Excellent performance away from home against the Blues even with several key All Blacks rested.…