The Waratahs were outplayed by the Stormers and their brick wall defence, going down 32-18.
Photos courtesy of Keith McInnes photography.
The Match
It was a brutally physical encounter, with neither side taking a backward step in tight. The Stormers had obviously done their homework, and concocted a game plan that played to every Waratah weakness. It was great to watch, especially their midfield defence, which was a thing of beauty. Brutal, bone-crunching beauty.
The Stormers got on the front foot early, and opened the scoring through a penalty to sharpshooter Demetri Catrakilis, which led me to ponder on the term ‘sharpshooter’ – when was the last time, if ever, an Aussie was described as a ‘sharpshooter’? On having a ‘laser boot’, whatever that means? I’m not sure, but it’s something to think about. Or not.
Anyway, the Tahs hit back quickly by scoring a belter of a try down the right touchline, with Israel Folau collecting a Will Skelton pass one-handed, before throwing a lovely ball to Taqele Naiyaravoro, the player who has set the all-time Waratahs record for the highest scoring name in Scrabble. Big T proceeded to steam down the wing, bumping off two Stormers before scoring in the corner. If the great man Richie was looking down on the match (Benaud, not McCaw), he’d have the perfect three words for Taqele’s efforts – ‘marvellous effort that’. Bernard Foley missed the conversion, well and truly damaging his claims to ‘sharpshooter’ status.
But the Tahs looked flat, and the Stormers quickly re-established their dominance. A spilled Waratahs ball from Kurtley Beale was pounced on, and a few phases later they registered their first try through Damian De Allende. It was a great try from the Stormers, whose forwards were dominating the Tahs in tight- Schalk Burger was everywhere, and Frans Malherbe was making a mess of the Waratah scrum. They were up 13-5 and looking good.
The home side finished the half on a high, though. They found their rhythm, and converted a point blank penalty goal, they scored soonafter through Rob Horne, after a Kurtley Beale linebreak in midfield led to repeated phases in the Stormers 22. Foley added the extras from the sideline, leading me to believe that while he isn’t a ‘metronome’, he is at very least an…. um… ‘good kicker guy’. The Tahs had poked their noses in front and went to the break up 15-13.
The Stormers once again started the better of the two sides, and scored the first try of the half through winger Kobus van Wyk, who pounced on a Kurt Coleman chip-kick to run 60m and score in the corner. A lucky bounce, perhaps, but you couldn’t say the Stormers had not earned it. Coleman converted to give the visitors a five point lead. The Tahs had chances but couldn’t crack the Stormers tight defence, though Bernard Foley pegged it back to a two point margin with another penalty.
Coleman had a few opportunities to add to the Stormers tally from long range, but couldn’t slot them. Nonetheless the Stormers were still dominant, especially at the lineout. They were reading everything the Waratahs were doing, and the Tahs had no answer. And then the mistake came- a pass from Foley that was never on, intercepted by Juan de Jongh who offloaded to De Allende, who ran in to score his second. It was followed soonafter by another try to the visitors, through fullback Cheslin Kolbe, who pounced on a Bernard Foley error to run 50m and score. Like De Allende’s before it, it was a try that could be chalked up to the ferocious Stormers defence, which the Waratahs simply couldn’t penetrate.
That was all she wrote, the Stormers brick wall defence was too much for the home side, who have plenty to work on. The scoreline was a pretty solid reflection of the game – the Waratahs were outclassed. 32-18, game over.
The Tahs had most of the ball, but never achieved any real momentum, especially late in the second half when they really needed it. They had no answers to the Stormers solid defence, and their usual effective forward ball-runners were nowhere to be seen – Jacpot and Benn Robinson went backwards more often than they went forwards. Foley had no quick ball to work with, and no backpeddaling defence to exploit. The outside backs barely saw the ball. I think Matt Carraro played, but I’m honestly not sure. The lineout was the worst it’s been in years, too, and the scrum leaked a few early penalties. Can this team win the title? I’m still not sure. The game against the Brumbies was a statement but they’ve made two big steps backwards after that.
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The Game Changer
The Tahs were behind the eight ball, but still in touch with ten minutes to go. But then the intercept from Juan de Jongh led to Damian De Allende‘s second try, and that was the game.
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The G&GR MOTM
If I could give it to the Stormers defence as a collective I would, but then I would be cast out of the rugby writers fraternity. You just can’t do that sort of thing, even on a b-grade blog like this. So I’ll give it to Juan de Jongh, who led the line and made countless earth-shattering hits. De Allende and Burger on the podium.
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Wallaby watch
Not too many performances of note tonight, the Tahs just couldn’t get any go forward. Will Skelton, Tolu Latu and Wycliff Palu were the best three forwards, though none had the kind of impact that screams ‘put me in the Wallabies’. Nick Phipps was also solid.
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The Details
Crowd: 17,353
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”] Stormers 32
Tries: De Allende 2, van Wyk, Kolbe
Conversions: Catrakilis, Coleman 2
Penalties: Catrakilis 2 [/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”] Waratahs 18
Tries: Naiyaravoro, Horne
Conversions: Foley
Penalties: Foley 2 [/one_half]
Cards & citings
Nil
