Waratahs win Aussie bragging rights
Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:13
Try-time: Rob Horne scores his first try
The Waratahs won the battle for Australian supremacy, and the bragging rights that came with it, while moving into the top three on the Super 14 standings with their 17-12 victory over the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
It was not always the most aesthetically pleasing encounter, with just two tries, but it was one of the more intriguing games of the weekend.
As they say in Australia, it was a real arm-wrestle.
The Waratahs moved into third place on the standings and the Force stayed just outside the top four.
Labelled the 'grudge match' there was obviously no love lost in this all-Aussie derby, with plenty of physical exchanges.
With Matt Dunning having been talked up during the pre-match media hype as the new hope of Australian scrums, the Waratahs had an edge in the set pieces - but how much of that was due to Dunning was not certain. It was messy, rather than forceful.
The Force line-out was also under pressure and their possession in general from set pieces was very sloppy.
The big difference on the day was the Waratahs' sound defence.
They once held out as the Force went through 17 phases inside Tahs 22, without making real ground. It frustrated the Force, as they could not find a way through and had to rely on penalties for their points.
The Waratahs had the first shot at points, in the fourth minute, after the Force were penalised for an "incorrect entry" at a ruck. Kurtley Beale made no mistake with the penalty as his team took an early 3-0 lead.
Referee Brett Bowden had his hands full to ensure the niggle - and there was not a shortage of that famous Aussie sledging and attempts at physical intimidation - boiled over into something very nasty.
While there was no scoring, the next 10 minutes had plenty of action - a real arm wrestle between two teams not prepared to give an inch. As they say, it wasn't pretty, but it was intriguing to watch the two teams thrown everything at each other.
It took the Force 15 minutes of real grind to force the 'Tahs defence into an offside position. Matt Giteau wasted no time in pointing at the posts and he slotted the penalty goal to make it 3-all as the first quarter ran out.
There was a nasty collision, when Giteau got he head on the wrong side of an attempted tackle on Sam Norton-Knight. The Force flyhalf was out cold before he hit the deck and was stretchered off after some emergency treatment on the field.
He is likely to miss the next few weeks as a result of what was very heavy concussion. At least it wasn't a more serious injury, as he managed to give the thumbs up as he was taken off on the medicab stretcher.
The first try was not long in coming, as young Rob Horne, in his starting debut for the Waratahs, took a neat little pass from Tom Carter to go over under the posts. It was a try that started at a scrum near the right touchline and created through some strong running by the Tahs.
Beale's conversion made it 10-3 for the 'Tahs after 26 minutes.
The home team won a penalty a few minutes later, as the 'Tahs went offside at a ruck, but Cameron Shepherd - who took over the kicking duties from the injured Giteau - made a real mess off his attempt at points.
But the Force soon had another penalty and this time Shepherd made no mistake - narrowing the gap to 6-10 with seven minutes left in the first half.
The Force got another penalty two minutes from half-time and Shepherd had another shot at goal ... narrowing the gap to just one point, 9-10.
That's how it stayed till half-time, with the visitors taking a narrow lead into the break.
The Force came out after the break with a lot more purpose, but they still found the Waratahs defence tough to break down.
Shepherd had a long-range shot at goal in the 49th minute, but it bounced off the upright, onto the crossbar and back infield. The Waratahs scrambled well to save the moment.
The Waratahs lost their captain, Phil Waugh, who hobbled off with a knee injury in the 52nd minute.
But it didn't change the nature of the game, which remained an arm wrestle and neither team giving an inch as the match entered the final quarter.
It was the Force who seemed to up the pace and they were soon rewarded for a period of sustained pressure with a penalty inside the 'Tahs 22. Shepherd obliged and slotted the penalty to put the home team ahead for the first time - 12-10.
Now the territorial game became vital and in the second half this part of the game had been dominated by the Force - who also controlled possession.
But the moment that turned the game on its head came in the 71st minute. Tuqiri grubbered ahead, the ball bounced off Shepherd's leg and into the hands of Waratahs wing Lachie Turner - who had a virtually clear run to the line. The Force covered got there, but just too late and Turner went over in the corner. Beale added the conversion to make it 17-12 in favour of the visitors.
The Waratahs now knew that territory and possession became vital and suddenly they stepped up the pace to try and control the aspects that could win it for them.
And there was to be a grand stand finish.
It came with Waratahs replacement Alfi Mafi being yellow carded in the 80th minute for a professional foul and the Force controlled for next three minutes, before Lachlan Turner intercepted to save the day for the 'Tahs.
Unlike last week, there was no magic escape for the Force this week.
Man of the Match: Several Force players put their hands up. Drew Mitchell was often found at first receiver after Matt Giteau left the field, Ryan Cross was as busy and forceful as ever and Richard Brown did yeoman work in the loose. Phil Waugh, before he left the field with a knee injury, was ever present for the Waratahs and Lachlan Turner was dangerous with ball in hand. However, our award goes to Waratahs wing Lote Tuqiri, who is having his best season yet since making the cross-over from Rugby League and was brilliant on attack and defence.
Moment of the Match: There was Matt Giteau's injury midway through the first half and Phil Waugh's injury midway through the second 40. But the moment that turned that match on it's head was Lachie Turner's match-winning try in the 71st minute - a fortuitous score but a winning one.
Villain of the Match: Physical and hard, but nothing untoward. No award.
The scorers:
For the Western Force:
Pens: Giteau, Shepherd 3
For the Waratahs:
Tries: Horne, Turner
Cons: Beale 2
Pen: Beale
Yellow card: Alfi Mafi (Waratahs, 80 - professional foul, offside)
Teams:
Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Nick Cummins, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Scott Staniforth, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau (vice-captain), 9 Chris O'Young, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fava, 5 Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4 Tom Hockings, 3 Troy Takiari, 2 Tai McIsaac, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 AJ Whalley, 18 Sam Wykes, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 James Stannard, 21 Lachlan MacKay, 22 Haig Sare.
Waratahs: 15 Sam Norton-Knight, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Dean Mumm, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Will Caldwell, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Al Baxter, 18 David Lyons, 19 Beau Robinson, 20 Brett Sheehan, 21 Matt Carraro, 22 Alfi Mafi.
Referee:
Brett Bowden (Australia)
Touch judges: Paul Marks (Australia), James Scholtens (Australia)
