Willing Cheetahs fail once again
Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:02
The Cheetahs once again could not find that spark of inspiration to manufacture a Super 14 win, as the Waratahs held them off in Sydney to record a laboured 23-19 win on Friday.
The visitors did manage to cross the 'Tahs try-line three times in the match, but they failed to produce something special in the last minutes, allowing the home side to prevail.
It was a brave performance from the winless Cheetahs, who fought back valiantly in the second half to come within a whisker of recording their first victory of the campaign.
The signs were there from the outset that we were going to be in for an entertaining 80 minutes.
The Cheetahs kicked off and the Waratahs ran it straight back at them.
There was no safety first approach from the 'Tahs. It was all-out attack from minute one.
The 'Tahs made good ground and got all the way to the Cheetahs 22.
No.10 Kurtley Beale spotted some space behind the Cheetahs backs and put in a deft little chip. He re-gathered it, only to knock the ball on in a desperate attempt to stretch over the try-line.
Ominous signs for the Cheetahs.
It was all the 'Tahs in the first few minutes.
Beale spotted another gap moments later and timed his pass to Sam Norton-Knight to perfection. The fullback was in the clear, but the only problem was he failed to hold on to the pass from Beale.
Another close shave for the men in bright orange.
On the ten minute mark, Lote Tuqiri took advantage of some poor defence by Jongi Nokwe and sped up the right hand touchline. Once again a poor pass let the Cheetahs of the hook.
For all the 'Tahs dominance, they would have been concerned that the pressure was not being converted into points.
That final pass was just not going to hand.
The fact that the Cheetahs were on even keel after 15 minutes would have given them some confidence, despite defending for about 14 of those minutes!
The pressure had to tell, and it did.
The Cheetahs gave away a penalty in a kickable position and Beale obliged to put the 'Tahs 3-0 ahead after 17 minutes of high-intensity rugby.
Although the Waratahs were running it from everywhere, they did tend to look directionless. They were throwing the ball around without much structure, which allowed the Cheetahs to scramble back in defence.
There was a hint of desperation in the 'Tahs play. The top brass at Waratahs headquarters have been calling more a more expansive game, well they certainly got that on Friday.
The 'Tahs had to score for all their domination. And they did in the 23rd minute, albeit from a Cheetahs mistake.
Phil Waugh made the intercept and had the presence of mind to give it straight to his wing, Lachie Turner.
Turner turned on the gas and made Hennie Daniller look like he was treading water. He dotted down under the posts and Beale added the extras.
10-0 to the 'Tahs was a fair reflection of proceedings.
Already the game was threatening to run away from the Cheetahs. They managed to get their hands on the ball after the Turner try, but some poor passing was letting them down. There was just no fluidity in the their play in the opening 20 minutes. .
But things were to change. Left wing Jongi Nokwe set up an attacking line-out for the Cheetahs after he chipped ahead and tackled Norton-Knight into touch. It was promising stuff from the speedster, who looked a threat whenever he was given space out wide.
The forwards rumbled it up from the ensuing line-out, with a well structured maul, before Heinrich Brussow scrambled over the line.
He looked to be held up, a suspicion confirmed by the TMO moments later.
It didn't matter though, when, from the ensuing scrum, lock David de Villiers avoided the efforts of Lote Tuqiri to slide over for the try in the corner.
Meyer Bosman kicked a superb conversion from the corner to reduce the 'Tahs lead to just three points.
The 10-7 scoreline didn't last long, as the Cheetahs Achilles heel - their defence - let them down once again.
Rocky Elsom slipped three tackles to score under the posts. It really was shocking defence from a Super 14 team - inexcusable from a professional outfit like the Cheetahs.
Beale's conversion was a formality, and at 17-7 after 32 minutes, things were slipping away from the Cheetahs.
The final 10 minutes of the half belonged to the home team. They had the majority of possession and were slowly suffocating the Cheetahs.
Beale kicked his second penalty in the 37th minute, giving the home side a comfortable 20-7 lead.
And that's how it stayed as the half-time hooter sounded around Sydney Football Stadium.
The second half began in a similar vain to the first half.
The Cheetahs failed to find touch from the kick-off, with the 'Tahs mounting an immediate attack.
It came of nothing but it was entertaining stuff nevertheless from Ewen McKenzie's team.
Kurtley Beale had a chance to add three more points with a long range penalty, but his attempt shaved the left-hand upright.
Slowly but surely the Cheetahs got their hands on more ball. But once again poor handling was proving to be their downfall.
Whether it was down to a lack of confidence or skill is debatable but it was clear that the 15 men on the park were desperate to get their first win of the Super 14.
That desperation paid off when some poor hands from the 'Tahs inside the Cheetahs 22 allowed speedster Jongi Nokwe to kick to ball ahead. He showed great control to kick it ahead a second time and a foot race between himself and Rocky Elsom ensued.
There was only going to be one winner, Nokwe! Unfortunately for the Cheetahs, Bosman missed the conversion but at 12-20, Naka Drotske's men were back in the contest.
They needed composure now. They could not afford to let the 'Tahs strike back immediately , as they did in the first half.
After the Nokwe try, the Cheetahs sensed that they were in the game. They saw more of the ball and were more patient on attack.
The Waratahs were on the ropes, of that there was no doubt. The team that held their nerve was going to win this one.
Although the second half has a scrappy affair, it was exciting. You could sense that the Cheetahs knew they had a sniff, although at eight points in arrears, they had it all to do in the final 20 minutes.
They had to score next if they wanted to achieve the unlikely.
And that they did!
Eddie Fredericks made the initial burst with a great break. His twinkle toes were too much for the 'Tahs defence.
Some great interplay between forwards and backs followed, before replacement Flip van der Merwe stormed over for the Cheetahs third try.
Bosman made it a one-point ball game with a sweetly struck conversion.
20-19 in favour of the home side with 10 minutes to play - a real cliffhanger.
But the Waratahs looked the more dangerous in the closing stages. Some valiant defence from the Cheetahs kept them in the game, but the 'Tahs pressure paid off when they got a penalty in front of the sticks.
Beale did the necessary to make it 23-19 with five minutes left on the clock.
The Cheetahs needed a try, a penalty would not be enough.
Some good old fashioned big match temperament was needed from the Cheetahs if they were to avoid their seventh defeat on the trot.
Unfortunately for them, that BMT was nowhere to be found.
It ended 23-19, condemning the Cheetahs to yet another heart-breaking loss.
The Waratahs got out of jail in this one.
One has to feel for the Cheetahs. They showed some good old fashioned guts but that wasn't enough for the Bloemfontein franchise.
Man of the match: For the Cheetahs Heinrich Brussow was his usual menacing self. But for his tireless workrate and menacing ball carries, Waratahs flank Rocky Elsom showed his class at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Moment of the match: Jongi Nokwe's try. He ran all of 80 metres chasing the ball, and outstripped Rocky Elsom to score. He showed some good skill in picking scooping the ball up on the run.
Villain of the match: Brett Sheehan for his needless stamp on a Cheetahs player that forced Kelvin Deaker to reverse the penalty. it cost is team three points but luckily not the match.
The Scorers:
For the Waratahs:
Tries: Turner, Elsom
Cons: Beale 2
Pens: Beale 2
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: De Villiers, Nokwe, Van der Merwe
Cons: Bosman
2
Teams:
Waratahs: 15 Sam Norton-Knight, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 Beau Robinson, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Rob Horne.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Hendrik Meyer, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Darron Nel, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Rory Duncan (captain), 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Falie Oelschig, 21 Conrad Barnard, 22 JW
Jonker.
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Brent Murray (New Zealand), Damian Mitchelmore (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
