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It is all too easy for the Waratahs

Sat, 08 May 2010 11:34

Marching into the play-offs: Waratahs captain Phil Waugh

The Waratahs went, at least temporarily, into third place on the Super 14 standings after their comprehensive 46-19 victory over the ragged Chiefs - who were really not competitive as they remained without a victory in Waikato Stadium this season.

The first half was one-way traffic as the Waratahs went to 20-0. The Chiefs got hardly any ball and spent their 40 minutes getting tackling practice. The Waratahs were urgent and eager from the start and could have been further ahead but for clumsy handling. Certainly their intentions were clear: all-out attack.

It took the visitors just three minutes to get on the scoreboard. Chiefs No.8, Colin Bourke, kicked a high ball downfield. Phil Waugh caught the ball and passed it to Drew Mitchell. 60 metres later Mitchell scored. He raced past defenders, grubbered into empty space, collected a kind bounce and scored. It was as simple as that.

Kurtley Beale broke and the Waratahs were again on the attack, through a remarkable 22 phases, but too many passes were cumbersome for  real profit. They did another session of phases and suddenly big Ben Mowen burst past three Chiefs to score under the posts. Barnes converted. 12-0 after 23 minutes.

The Chiefs sought to emulate their visitors and tried phases but passed into touch.

There was a bit of excitement when Nathan White and  Al Baxter were cross with each other and punches were thrown. Nobody went to the sin bin but perhaps a citing commissioner could entertain further action. It was all so old-fashioned.

The Waratahs got the penalty and kicked out for a line-out. They mauled and bashed. The Chiefs were penalised when Hika Elliott collapsed the maul. Again they kicked out and again they mauled, this time running the maul over the line for a try credited to Tatafu Polota-Nau.; 17-0 after 29 minutes and the Chiefs were cast purely in a defensive role, their job made easier by poor handling, especially the slow, erratic service by Luke Burgess.

Ben Afeaki, on for White who limped off, was penalised at a scrum and Barnes made the score 20-0, which was the half-time score.

Right at the start of the second half  Junior Poluleuligaga through a long laboured pass which Barnes intercepted for an unencumbered 50-metre run to the posts. 27-0 after 41 minutes. That was the bonus-point try.

Brendon Leonard came on and made a difference to the Chiefs. He made a difference or the Waratahs, achieving what they had set out to achieve, lost urgency.

When Afeaki went off for blood repairs, the scrums became uncontested.

The Chiefs bashed at the Waratahs' line and Tanerau Latimer was close but lost the ball to a turnover. They came back again and Culum Retallick was close. They went wide and Tim Nani-Williams went over unmarked. 34-5 after 64 minutes.

The Waratahs =came straight back as Lachie Turner leapt high to win the kick-off and Barnes stabbed a clever kick into the in-goaAl where Beale beat Leonard to the touch down. Daniel Halangahu converted. 34-5 after 64 minutes.

Beale then set up the next try when he beat Richard Kahui and grubbered ahead towards the right where Turner swooped on the ball and scvored. 39-5 after 66 minutes.

A penalty to the Chiefs became a line-out and quick hands, notably by Bourke, produced a try for thrustful Jackson Willison, which Bruce converted. 39-12 after 71  minutes.

The Chiefs then went through 10 phases before Willison burst past three Waratahs and over for his second try. This time Dwayne Sweeney converted.  39-19 with three minutes to play.

It was time enough for the Waratahs to have the last say. Athletic Turner again won the kick-off on the right and the Waratahs went left. The Chiefs missed two tackles on Mowen who gave to Mitchell who gave to young Damien Fitzpatrick, who scored in the corner. Halangahu converted/.

Man of the Match: Drew Mitchell who was threatening and exciting every time he got the ball.

Scorers:

For Waratahs:
Tries: Mitchell, Mowen, Polota-Nau, Barnes, Beale, Turner, Fitzpatrick
Cons: Barnes 2. Halangahu 2
Pen: Barnes

For Chiefs:
Tries: Nani-Williams, Willison 2
Cons: Bruce, Sweeney

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14  Dwayne Sweeney, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Jason Hona, 10 Callum Bruce, 9 Junior Poluleuligaga, 8 Colin Bourke, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam (captain), 5 Kevin O’Neill, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Nathan White, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Culum Retallick, 19 Luke Braid, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Phil Burleigh, 22 Save Tokula.

Waratahs: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Ben Mowen, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Patrick McCutcheon, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Dan Palmer/Jeremy Tilse, 18 Chris Thomson, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Josh Holmes, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Sosene Anesi.

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Matthew Stanish (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

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