FxPro Super Rugby round 17
HSBC Waratahs 15 – 19 Brumbies
The HSBC Waratahs have suffered another agonising defeat, going down to the Brumbies 15-19 despite outscoring their rivals by two tries to one.
Five weeks since the team’s last game against the Hurricanes, Michael Foley’s men put in a much improved performance, dominating possession and creating a number of opportunities.
“That was a much stronger performance than our last outing and I’d like to think that’s a step towards an even better performance next week,” said Foley after the match.
Their failure to capitalise and errors at crucial stages in the second half opened the door for the Australian Conference leaders to secure the win that will almost certainly see them progress to the FxPro Super Rugby finals.
Although the HSBC Waratahs were, for the eighth time this season, forced to settle for a losing bonus point, the side displayed some encouraging signs ahead of next week’s final match against the Reds in Brisbane, providing they can tighten up in crucial areas.
“In the first half we played some really solid footy but in the second half we let them back in the game,” admitted disappointed captain Benn Robinson, who would have been hoping for a better result in his 100th game for NSW. “It’s always disappointing to lose like we did but it was the story of our season in the second half. We give up too many easy penalties and let teams back in.”
Another area of the game that Foley says the team will need to work on is the restarts. “Once you score points, the opposition kicks the ball back into your half and securing that possession is critical.
“If you don’t, obviously they get possession and they are in your half. That swings the momentum in the game. That happened to us two or three times tonight and when you’re playing the best side in Australia, the margins are going to be very fine. You need to win those little margins.”
The home side dominated the opening 10 minutes, retaining the ball and creating a number of early line breaks through flanker Dave Dennis and flyhalf Bernard Foley. But it was the Brumbies who opened the scoring, flyhalf Zack Holmes slotting an easy penalty to give his side a three point lead in the 13th minute.
There were signs of attacking promise from the opening whistle, with the back three getting plenty of early touches and linking well with playmakers Foley and Berrick Barnes and their powerful back row.
After a second Brumbies penalty, this time from the boot of Jesse Mogg, the home side hit back, scoring the first try of the match through man of the match Tatafu Polota-Nau. Having turned down a shot at the posts and opted for the scrum, the HSBC Waratahs continually attacked the Brumbies’ line until it eventually capitulated, allowing the hooker to barge through. Barnes’ attempt swung wide, leaving the home side trailing by a point with half time approaching. A last minute penalty for a ruck infringement allowed Holmes to slot his second, extending the visitors’ lead to four points at the break.
A Barnes three-pointer after 49 minutes returned the deficit to a single point and the slender margin was maintained when Holmes’ latest attempt sailed wide of the uprights.
When Brumbies wing Mogg was penalised in a ruck on the halfway line, Barnes’ boot set the home pack up for a great attacking lineout. With the pick and go proving a potent attacking weapon, Polota-Nau drew in the defence, allowing Barnes to slide through the Brumbies’ midfield and crash into the post to put his side ahead for the first time after 56 minutes, converting his own effort to give his side a 15-9 lead.
But within five minutes the visitors hit back, right wing Henry Speight creeping around the NSW defence to find the tryline for his side’s first touchdown, allowing Holmes to kick his side back into the lead when he added the extras. Another Mogg penalty on 63 minutes took the scores to 15-19 and although replacement halfback Brendan McKibbin attempted a long range effort in the final 10, it drifted narrowly wide. For a moment the Brumbies looked to have put the result beyond doubt until referee Keith Brown called play back, after it was clear he had impeded the defence when he got caught in a ruck. Despite regaining possession for one last effort, the Brumbies defence held out, securing the win that looks to have sealed their progress to the finals.
Brumbies 19 (tries: Speight; cons: Holmes; pens: Holmes 2, Mogg 2) d HSBC Waratahs 15 (tries: Polota-Nau, Barnes; cons: Barnes; pens: Barnes)
Half-time: HSBC Waratahs 5 - 9 Brumbies
HSBC Waratahs: 15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs) 14. Lachie Turner (Eastwood) 13. Rob Horne (Southern Districts) 12. Berrick Barnes (Sydney University), vice captain 11. Drew Mitchell (Balmain) 10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University) 9. Grayson Hart (Southern Districts) 8. Wycliff Palu (Manly) 7. Chris Alcock (Eastwood) 6. Dave Dennis (Sydney University) 5. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts) 4. Dean Mumm (Sydney University) 3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University) 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Parramatta) 1. Benn Robinson (Eastwood), captain
Replacements: 16. John Ulugia (Southern Districts) 17. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University) 18. Sitaleki Timani (Southern Districts) 19. Lopeti Timani (Southern Districts) 20. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs) 21. Tom Carter (Sydney University) 22. Tom Kingston (Sydney University)
Brumbies: 15. Robbie Coleman, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Pat McCabe, 11. Jesse Mogg, 10. Zack Holmes, 9. Nic White, 8. Ben Mowen (c), 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Peter Kimlin, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Scott Fardy, 3. Dan Palmer, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Ben Alexander
Replacements: 16. Anthony Hegaty, 17. Ruaidhri Murphy, 18. Leon Power, 19. Ita Vaea, 20. Ian Prior, 21. Tevita Kuridrani, 22. Cam Crawford
Yellow cards: None
Referee: Keith Brown (NZL)
Assistant referees: Andrew Lees & Julian Pritchard (AUS)
Man of the match: Tatafu Polota-Nau
Crowd: 22,844
Ends