Oracle of Delphi
KC Hill
Denise Gabbard
Paladin
Craig HillSuper 14 Waratahs Defeat Hurricanes
February 15th 2009 09:35
New South Wales has recorded just its second win from eight visits to Wellington in Super Rugby, overcoming the Hurricanes 26-22 at Westpac Stadium tonight.
The visitors scored four tries to three to claim maximum points out of the contest, showing steel in the second spell to successfully resist a stern late charge from the Hurricanes.
Although the Hurricanes rallied from 14 points behind to close to four, 15 minutes from the end, the Waratahs looked to have locked up the game when impressive young centre Rob Horne claimed his side’s fourth try.
The score came after a clever cross-field kick by Kurtley Beale was collected by Lachie Turner, who then attracted the two remaining Hurricanes defenders before releasing Horne for an unimpeded run to the goal-line.
Beale’s fine conversion from a wide angle made it 26-15, but the Waratahs promptly gave the points back by switching off from the kick off, which allowed Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush to storm through, collect the ball, and then free winger Hosea Gear up for the ‘Canes’ third try.
A desperate finish followed, but the ‘Tahs held on.
“We hung in there very well… it was a good win in the end,” Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh said.
“You’ve got to score points when you get the chances and fortunately tonight we were able to. We know we’ve still got a lot of work to do though. We still let the Hurricanes back into the game.”
The Waratahs had taken a commanding 19-5 advantage into the break after an opening period where they had looked far more polished than their hosts.
Beale provided the touch of class that opened up the Hurricanes for the Waratahs’ first try, firing a sweeping pass across the face of the advancing defence that pushed Horne into a yawning gap.
Quick to accept the invitation, the centre splintered the Hurricanes defence, before calmly feeding Sam Norton-Knight back on the inside for the fullback to score adjacent to the goal-posts.
The try, in the ninth minute, rocked the home crowd, and they were left stunned again 12 minutes later when Lote Tuqiri took the odds to gas around Hurricanes flanker Scott Waldrom in a cross-field run which yielded the Tahs’ second try.
In their efforts to rally, the Hurricanes then handed the Waratahs a third try, when Ma’a Nonu attempted to kick the ball in behind the advancing sky blue defensive line.
Fortunately for the visitors, the ball was blocked, bouncing up into Turner’s hands with 90 metres of open territory in front of him.
Although he appeared to have knocked the ball on prior to collecting it, the match officials failed to react, as the Waratahs flier raced the length of the field to score against the Hurricanes for the third successive year.
Perhaps feeling guilty, the Waratahs virtually gave the Hurricanes their only try of the first half, which came after No 8 Scott Fava threw an errant pass from behind a midfield scrum.
The ball was hacked through by the Hurricanes but, while Beale got back to recover possession, his hurried clearance under pressure was charged down by his opposite number Dan Kirkpatrick, with the 19-year-old debutante showing composure to regather the ball and score the try.
Earlier tonight, the Crusaders - who defeated the Waratahs in last year's Grand Final - also made a winning start to the 2009 competition, edging out the Chiefs 19-13 in Christchurch
For the NSW Waratahs: Tries by Sam Norton-Knight, Lote Tuqiri, Lachie Turner and Rob Horne; 3 conversions by Kurtley Beale
For the Hurricanes: Tries by Dan Kirkpatrick, Dane Coles and Hosea Gear; 2 conversions and a penalty goal by Kirkpatrick.
Halftime: NSW Waratahs 19, Hurricanes 5
Referee: Stuart Dickinson
ARU
The visitors scored four tries to three to claim maximum points out of the contest, showing steel in the second spell to successfully resist a stern late charge from the Hurricanes.
Although the Hurricanes rallied from 14 points behind to close to four, 15 minutes from the end, the Waratahs looked to have locked up the game when impressive young centre Rob Horne claimed his side’s fourth try.
The score came after a clever cross-field kick by Kurtley Beale was collected by Lachie Turner, who then attracted the two remaining Hurricanes defenders before releasing Horne for an unimpeded run to the goal-line.
Beale’s fine conversion from a wide angle made it 26-15, but the Waratahs promptly gave the points back by switching off from the kick off, which allowed Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush to storm through, collect the ball, and then free winger Hosea Gear up for the ‘Canes’ third try.
Kurtley Beale Waratahs
A desperate finish followed, but the ‘Tahs held on.
“We hung in there very well… it was a good win in the end,” Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh said.
“You’ve got to score points when you get the chances and fortunately tonight we were able to. We know we’ve still got a lot of work to do though. We still let the Hurricanes back into the game.”
The Waratahs had taken a commanding 19-5 advantage into the break after an opening period where they had looked far more polished than their hosts.
Beale provided the touch of class that opened up the Hurricanes for the Waratahs’ first try, firing a sweeping pass across the face of the advancing defence that pushed Horne into a yawning gap.
Quick to accept the invitation, the centre splintered the Hurricanes defence, before calmly feeding Sam Norton-Knight back on the inside for the fullback to score adjacent to the goal-posts.
The try, in the ninth minute, rocked the home crowd, and they were left stunned again 12 minutes later when Lote Tuqiri took the odds to gas around Hurricanes flanker Scott Waldrom in a cross-field run which yielded the Tahs’ second try.
In their efforts to rally, the Hurricanes then handed the Waratahs a third try, when Ma’a Nonu attempted to kick the ball in behind the advancing sky blue defensive line.
Fortunately for the visitors, the ball was blocked, bouncing up into Turner’s hands with 90 metres of open territory in front of him.
Although he appeared to have knocked the ball on prior to collecting it, the match officials failed to react, as the Waratahs flier raced the length of the field to score against the Hurricanes for the third successive year.
Perhaps feeling guilty, the Waratahs virtually gave the Hurricanes their only try of the first half, which came after No 8 Scott Fava threw an errant pass from behind a midfield scrum.
The ball was hacked through by the Hurricanes but, while Beale got back to recover possession, his hurried clearance under pressure was charged down by his opposite number Dan Kirkpatrick, with the 19-year-old debutante showing composure to regather the ball and score the try.
Earlier tonight, the Crusaders - who defeated the Waratahs in last year's Grand Final - also made a winning start to the 2009 competition, edging out the Chiefs 19-13 in Christchurch
For the NSW Waratahs: Tries by Sam Norton-Knight, Lote Tuqiri, Lachie Turner and Rob Horne; 3 conversions by Kurtley Beale
For the Hurricanes: Tries by Dan Kirkpatrick, Dane Coles and Hosea Gear; 2 conversions and a penalty goal by Kirkpatrick.
Halftime: NSW Waratahs 19, Hurricanes 5
Referee: Stuart Dickinson
ARU
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