New South Wales Rugby

Tahs clinch playoff position with final round win

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Friday, 14 May 2010
NSWRU Media Unit

Kurtley Beale leads celebrations after his 50th NSW cap.

Kurtley Beale leads celebrations after his 50th NSW cap. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Hurricanes; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Dean Mumm struggles to keep up with a dashing Al Baxter.

Dean Mumm struggles to keep up with a dashing Al Baxter. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Rob Horne breaks the line.

Rob Horne breaks the line. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Lachie Turner in full flight.

Lachie Turner in full flight. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Ma'a Nonu wrestles Ben Mowen to the turf.

Ma'a Nonu wrestles Ben Mowen to the turf. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Drew Mitchell touches down for his second of the night.

Drew Mitchell touches down for his second of the night. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

Berrick Barnes surveys proceedings.

Berrick Barnes surveys proceedings. [2010 Super 14 Round 14 - HSBC Waratahs v Stormers; Sydney Football Stadium; 14/5/10]

The Tahs scored two tries in each half, with fullback Kurtley Beale and Skins Man of the Match Drew Mitchell each bagging a double.

The result moves NSW to second on 43 competition points and ensures they will finish no worse than third after the conclusion of round 14.

Piri Weepu opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a long range penalty goal after Beale was ruled to have held on to the ball at the ruck attempting a kick return.

Berrick Barnes evened the score up in the tenth minute, however the Tahs went back to the restart without Dan Palmer who was replaced by Jeremy Tilse after an early knock.

Weepu kicked a second penalty in the 14th minute from wide out, however the Tahs took the lead for the first time a minute later after a try to Kurtley Beale. The movement was started by Rob Horne who broke the line near halfway and offloaded to Tom Carter. Carter in turn offloaded to Beale who chipped the fullback and regathered to score.

Barnes converted from close range - thanks to Beale improving the position after crossing the line - to take NSW to a 10-6 lead.

The home side continued to apply the pressure and after first giving up a penalty from right in front in favour of going for the try, they were soon given another three-point chance which Barnes took to take the margin to seven.

The Tahs were over again with another spectacular try in the 32nd minute. The Hurricanes kicked the ball downfield to the NSW 22 where Ben Mowen's pass went over the head of Beale before finding Lachie Turner. The right wing then chipped the kick-chase line, regathered and darted towards the left corner where he threw a perfect pass to his opposite wing to score.

Barnes' conversion attempt drifted left, and then Weepu added a third penalty after the siren to leave NSW with an 18-9 lead at half-time.

Mitchell was over for his second in the 45th minute after taking the ball at first receiver from a midfield scrum, breaking a tackle, kicking behind the line for Horne who offloaded back to Mitchell for the score. Barnes converted for a 25-9 advantage.

Six minutes later after sustained pressure the Hurricanes seemed to have stifled the Tahs attack before Beale chipped behind the line from 15m out. Two Canes players spilled the ball in front of their tryline with Beale chasing, toeing ahead and diving on the ball to score his second next to the left upright.

The Hurricanes pressured the Tahs line for the next ten minutes with the NSW defence holding firm. The game was forced into uncontested scrums in the 66th minute when Al Baxter became the second Tahs prop to leave the field, and soon after Lachie Turner was shown a yellow card after a series of penalties inside the NSW quarter.

The Hurricanes finally crossed in the 74th minute when David Smith went over for his seventh try of the year. Weepu converted to bring the margin to 16 points with five minutes to play.

The Tahs then went down to 13 men for a period before Turner's return after Damien Fitzpatrick became the third NSW front rower to be forced off.

The Hurricanes were finishing with more in the tank and continued to push deep into the NSW half however the home side continually scrambled well in defence to hold the Canes out and earn the 32-16 victory.

The HSBC Waratahs now await the result of Sunday (AEST) morning's match between the Bulls and Stormers to find out where and who they will be playing in next week's semi-final. Should the Stormers defeat the Bulls, the Tahs will play the Stormers in Cape Town, however if the Bulls win, NSW will return to the SFS to meet either the Stormers or Crusaders.

HSBC Waratahs 32 (Drew Mitchell 2, Kurtley Beale 2 tries; Berrick Barnes 3 cons, 2 pens) d Hurricanes 9 (David Smith try; Piri Weepu 3 pens, con) at Sydney Football Stadium. HT: HSBC Waratahs 18-9. Yellow Card: Lachie Turner (67th, repeated infringements). Crowd: 31,491. Referee: Chris Pollock (NZL). Skins Man of the Match: Drew Mitchell (HSBC Waratahs)

By the clock
4th - Piri Weepu penalty goal. Hurricanes 3-0
7th - Berrick Barnes missed drop goal
10th - Berrick Barnes penalty goal. 3-all
14th - Piri Weepu penalty goal. Hurricanes 6-3
15th - Kurtley Beale try; Berrick Barnes conversion. HSBC Waratahs 10-6
29th - Berrick Barnes penalty goal. HSBC Waratahs 13-6
32nd - Drew Mitchell try; Berrick Barnes missed conversion. HSBC Waratahs 18-6
40th+ - Piri Weepu penalty goal. HSBC Waratahs 18-9
45th - Drew Mitchell try; Berrick Barnes conversion. HSBC Waratahs 25-9
51st - Kurtley Beale try; Berrick Barnes conversion. HSBC Waratahs 32-9
67th - Lachie Turner yellow card (repeated infringements).
74th - David Smith try; Piri Weepu conversion. HSBC Waratahs 32-16

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