The Waratahs got some of their mojo back in Wellington today by prevailing over the previously unbeaten Hurricanes 29-24 in a top game of rugby.
The score was tied at half-time but the visitors took their chances better after the break and won the game with the Hurricanes struggling to get out of their own half at the end to score a converted try to win.
Waratahs 29 – Hurricanes 24
The Waratahs were desperate for an away win to keep in touch with the Brumbies in the Australian Conference, but the Chiefs and Highlanders were on the trail of the Hurricanes in NZ.
First Half
In the fourth minute 7. Ardie Savea committed a howler when he dropped the ball using one hand to ground it for a try to the Canes. Then came ten minutes of the Nehe Milner-Skudder show as he pin-balled around Waratah tacklers.
The Tahs lost their first three lineout throws; so it was no wonder that the the Canes hogged the possession and they had more of the territory also
But the Tahs pushed them off their own ruck ball 45 metres out, and eleven phases later winger Peter Betham scored. 10. Bernard Foley converted and the Waratahs led 7-0 at 15 minutes.
However the visitors dropped their guard at 20 minutes when the Canes took a 5-metre scrum option. 12 Kurtley Beale was isolated by his missing back rowers and 13 Conrad Smith strolled over to score. A fine conversion by 10. Beauden Barret from touch tied it up 7-7.
Foley taken out by Nonu accidentally as Barrett takes the ball
Almost straight after the kick-off Barrett bravely chipped the ball for 12 Ma’a Nonu in his own 22. It bounced backwards to Barrett but Nonu had accidentally taken out Foley in front of Barrett and the Hurricane’s first-five ran three-quarters of the length of the field to score untouched.
The Hurricanes had scored two converted tries in three minutes and led 14-7.
The Waratahs got chances in the Canes’ half but dropped ball, one over the line after Beale placed the ball on somebody’s foot, spoiled them. After the Beale incident it was: scrum Hurricanes.
From the scrum, five metres from his own goal line, Milner-Skudder grubbered the ball for 11. Julian Savea, but instead Foley recovered it and after guys like 15 Israel Folau, 8 Cliffy Palu and Foley took the ball up, lock Will Skelton scored. There were no extras but they had fought back to a score of 12-14 after 34 minutes.
In the next six minutes 8 Brad Shields scored for the Canes after a searching run by Nonu but the Waratahs responded immediately afterwards. Folau fielded the ball from the restart, and although it was turned over, Betham intercepted a poor Barrett pass to score his second try.
The half-time score was tied at 19-19.
The Waratahs were lazy around the fringe of some rucks and on one scrum. Some of the Hurricanes’ ball work was sub-standard for the type of game they play, and they gifted two tries to their opponents, plus a third with the lazy grounding.
Beale loses the ball over the line – a foot was involved
Second Half
The teams were more circumspect after the break but lock Dave Dennis caused some excitement when he charged for the line from his own side of halfway. He was one step short when Ardie Savea nailed him, making up for his early gaffe.
But at 52 minutes Folau scored following a long run from 7 Michael Hooper, and Foley converted it after it bounced off a post. The Waratahs re-took the lead, at 26-19.
The Hurricanes’ poor ball work continued as they dropped it on their own 22, and after they were pinged defending their line Foley slotted an easy goal to increase the lead to 29-19 with 23 minutes remaining.
The Waratahs dodged a bullet when Foley was palpably offside defending his line but with fair means or foul the Hurricanes were kept out.
Until the 70th minute, that is. Scrummie TJ Perenara tap-kicked after a maul penalty in the Tahs’ 22 and soon after he dived over the line for the Canes’ bonus point try—helped by another scratchy effort by the Waratahs’ ruck pillars. An easy-looking conversion, if successful, would mean that the Canes would need a try in the last eight minutes to win, but it wouldn’t have to be converted—or a penalty goal would tie the game.
But it missed. The Hurricanes were kept in their half for most of the time left and the Waratahs closed the game out.
Final score: Waratahs 29 – Hurricanes 24
Ma’a Nonu – best for the Hurricanes
The Wrap Up
The Hurricanes were not at their best and some of the things they tried were plain goofy. They turned the ball over too often, their ball-handling was often poor, sometimes forced by bruising defence, and their ability to win playing ugly deserted them for a change.
The Waratahs took what they could get. They will go the airport and get out of town.
They progressed in some areas since their last game, but the Canes were no Stormers. Their punishing tackling bore fruit this week and their big runners and outside ball work were good enough for these defenders.
Some of their main problems surfaced again: lineout throwing, kicking from hand or at goal, defence around the ruck, and their lack of pace on attack or defence. They also missed too many tackles.
[one_third last=”no”]
The Game Changer
In the 52nd minute Dennis tipped a lineout thrown slightly backwards to Hooper. (Either that or it was a bad not-straight throw missed by officials.) He ran to the line and 30 seconds later Folau scored as the Canes were caught short. The Waratahs got their bonus point try and the lead—and never lost it.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Nonu had an outstanding game for the Canes and Barrett had magic moments too. But the G&GR MOTM goes to Bernard Foley. He made the dominant tackle on Conrad Smith to set up a counter-ruck for the first try and despite some shonky kicks from hand, and the tee, he got the Tahs home.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby Watch
Apart from Foley, Skelton was a colossus on the run and was the Tahs’ best in the first half. Palu ran dominantly though he had a couple of blemishes. Latu was strong over the ball in the rucks but his early lineout throwing was poor. Folau attracted defenders and had some brilliant moments.[/one_third]
Israel Folau – had some brilliant moments
The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]
Waratahs – 29
Tries: P.Betham (14,40), W.Skelton (34), I.Folau (52)
Conversions: B.Foley (15,40,53)
Penalty: B.Foley (57)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Hurricanes – 24
Tries: C.Smith (21), B,Barrett (23), B.Shields (34), TJ Perenara (70)
Conversions: B. Barrett (15,24)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”no”]
Cards & Citings
None
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Crowd
14,832
[/one_half]
Match Details
Hurricanes: 1. R. Goodes, 2. M. Matu’u, 3. B. Franks, 4. J. Thrush, 5. J.Broadhurst, 6. C. Gibbins, 7. A. Savea, 8. B. Shields, 9. TJ Perenara, 10. B. Barrett, 11. J. Savea, 12. M. Nonu, 13. C. Smith (c), 14. C. Jane, 15. N. Milner-Skudder.
Replacements: 16. B. Mitchell, 17. J. Toomaga-Allen,18. C. Eves, 19. M. Abbott, 20. A. Hill, 21. F. Wilson, 22. R. Lee-Lo, 23. J. Marshall.
Waratahs: 1. B. Robinson, 2. T. Latu, 3. S. Kepu, 4. W. Skelton, 5. D. Dennis (c), 6. P. McCutcheon, 7. M. Hooper, 8. W. Palu, 9. N. Phipps, 10. B. Foley, 11. R. Horne, 12. K. Beale, 13. A. Ashley-Cooper, 14. P. Betham, 15. I. Folau.
Replacements: 16. T. Polota-Nau, 17. J. Tilse, 18. P. Ryan, 19. J. Potgieter, 20. M. Chapman, 21. S. Hoiles, 22. B. McKibbin, 23. M. Carraro.
Date: Saturday, April 18
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 16:30 local
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Referees: Shane McDermott, Jamie Nutbrown
TMO: Glenn Newman
