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Craig HillSuper 14 Waratahs Defeat Chiefs
February 21st 2009 03:40
It wasn’t pretty, but the New South Wales Waratahs have maintained their unbeaten start to the 2009 Investec Super 14 after an 11-7 win over an under-manned Chiefs outfit at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight.
In doing so, the Waratahs set a new franchise record of eight, for consecutive home wins – having last suffered defeat at the SFS when the Chiefs’ previously visited for the last game of the unfortunate 2007 campaign.
The visitors, who were bidding for their fourth consecutive win over New South Wales, had their hopes dented prior to arrival when they lost skipper Malili Muliaina and key players No 8 Sione Lauaki, and centre Richard Kahui to injuries.
As it turned out, rather than providing the Waratahs with an advantage, their collective absence may have lulled the home side into a false sense of security.
Certainly NSW coach Chris Hickey will next week be conducting a detailed review into the reasons as to why his side was so flat, as the Waratahs repeatedly struggled to put the Chiefs away despite dominating possession and territory throughout what was a disappointing spectacle.
Despite the perfect late summer conditions, neither side could score a try in the second half, with the game being determined in the Waratahs’ favour thanks to the penalty, and wobbly dropped goal, contributed in quick succession by flyhalf Kurtley Beale.
Beale’s boot swung the scoreboard back in the home side’s favour in the 54th minute, edging them ahead by one point, which became four, moments later, when he was successful from midfield with a dropped goal.
It wasn’t the most graceful strike ever but, like the Waratahs’ performance, it got the job done; although neither kick nor game will linger long in the memory banks.
The Waratahs briefly looked the goods in the early moments, opening the scoring with a classy try by Timana Tahu in the 15th minute.
It was an opportunity created by the vision of Beale, who spied Tahu ranging wide on the outside flank of the Chiefs defensive line, and expertly picked him out with a perfectly placed cross kick, which allowed the former rugby league star-turned Qantas Wallaby to collect the first try of his Super Rugby career.
Beale couldn’t add the trimmings by converting from touch, and that failure left the door open for the Chiefs to take the lead 11 minutes later when prop Arizona Taumalolo also claimed his maiden Super Rugby try.
The burly Tongan-raised prop smashed his way over from close range barely a minute after halfback Luke Burgess had initially spared the Waratahs by knocking All Black winger Sitiveni Sivivatu off-stride as he dived for the goal-line.
All Black flyhalf Stephen Donald converted the Taumalolo try and the Chiefs maintained the two-point advantage until halftime, entering the changing sheds 7-5 to the good.
For the NSW Waratahs: Try by Timana Tahu; penalty goal and a dropped goal by Kurtley Beale.
For the Chiefs: Try by Arizona Taumalolo; conversion by Stephen Donald.
Halftime: Chiefs 7, NSW Waratahs 5
Referee: Stuart Dickinson
ARU
In doing so, the Waratahs set a new franchise record of eight, for consecutive home wins – having last suffered defeat at the SFS when the Chiefs’ previously visited for the last game of the unfortunate 2007 campaign.
The visitors, who were bidding for their fourth consecutive win over New South Wales, had their hopes dented prior to arrival when they lost skipper Malili Muliaina and key players No 8 Sione Lauaki, and centre Richard Kahui to injuries.
As it turned out, rather than providing the Waratahs with an advantage, their collective absence may have lulled the home side into a false sense of security.
Certainly NSW coach Chris Hickey will next week be conducting a detailed review into the reasons as to why his side was so flat, as the Waratahs repeatedly struggled to put the Chiefs away despite dominating possession and territory throughout what was a disappointing spectacle.
Luke Burgess Waratahs
Despite the perfect late summer conditions, neither side could score a try in the second half, with the game being determined in the Waratahs’ favour thanks to the penalty, and wobbly dropped goal, contributed in quick succession by flyhalf Kurtley Beale.
Beale’s boot swung the scoreboard back in the home side’s favour in the 54th minute, edging them ahead by one point, which became four, moments later, when he was successful from midfield with a dropped goal.
It wasn’t the most graceful strike ever but, like the Waratahs’ performance, it got the job done; although neither kick nor game will linger long in the memory banks.
The Waratahs briefly looked the goods in the early moments, opening the scoring with a classy try by Timana Tahu in the 15th minute.
It was an opportunity created by the vision of Beale, who spied Tahu ranging wide on the outside flank of the Chiefs defensive line, and expertly picked him out with a perfectly placed cross kick, which allowed the former rugby league star-turned Qantas Wallaby to collect the first try of his Super Rugby career.
Beale couldn’t add the trimmings by converting from touch, and that failure left the door open for the Chiefs to take the lead 11 minutes later when prop Arizona Taumalolo also claimed his maiden Super Rugby try.
The burly Tongan-raised prop smashed his way over from close range barely a minute after halfback Luke Burgess had initially spared the Waratahs by knocking All Black winger Sitiveni Sivivatu off-stride as he dived for the goal-line.
All Black flyhalf Stephen Donald converted the Taumalolo try and the Chiefs maintained the two-point advantage until halftime, entering the changing sheds 7-5 to the good.
For the NSW Waratahs: Try by Timana Tahu; penalty goal and a dropped goal by Kurtley Beale.
For the Chiefs: Try by Arizona Taumalolo; conversion by Stephen Donald.
Halftime: Chiefs 7, NSW Waratahs 5
Referee: Stuart Dickinson
ARU
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