Mumm’s the word as the Waratahs claim bragging rights
By Darren Walton, 8 Mar 2008 Darren Walton is a Roar Pro
The NSW Waratahs claimed annual bragging rights over the ACT Brumbies with a hard-fought 24-17 victory in last night’s Super 14 derby played in atrocious conditions at the Sydney Football Stadium.
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A chargedown try to replacement lock Dean Mumm 18 minutes from time sealed the deal as the Waratahs rebounded from a 17-10 halftime deficit.
NSW’s third win from four matches so far this campaign – and 500th in history – lifted Ewen McKenzie’s men to third place on the table, while the Brumbies had only themselves to blame for failing to break into the top four.
Both NSW’s second-half tries came from Brumbies errors inside their own half.
First, Lote Tuqiri put the Waratahs on level terms at 17-17 when he swooped on a loose ball coughed up by Brumbies prop Sekope Kepu and raced 40 metres to score under the posts.
Then Mumm charged down an attempted clearing kick from Brumbies flyhalf Christian Lealiifano, gathered the ball and showed the necessary toe to outpace the cover defence in a 35-metre sprint to the line.
Five-eighth Kurtley Beale’s conversion put the Waratahs in front and the Brumbies never recovered in a match played in mostly driving rain and finishing under flashes of lightning.
While McKenzie was chuffed about his team’s lineout dominance, which ultimately gave the Waratahs enough possession to win two games, losing coach Laurie Fisher admitted his Brumbies simply failed to adapt to the wet and wild conditions.
Fisher said the Brumbies fell on their own sword after attempting to emulate the scintillating running rugby they produced in last week’s 43-11 thrashing of Queensland.
“Probably at 17-10, we could have just kicked the ball,” Fisher said.
“I don’t think anyone was going to go 80 metres to score. So, in hindsight, we probably should have just kicked, kicked, kicked some more and kicked again and we probably would have won the game.
“We tried to play some footy and, in the end, that bit us on the arse.”
A try to winger Peter Playford after the siren had given the Brumbies an unlikely halftime lead.
Sharp-shooting fullback Mark Gerrard – the official man of the match despite being on the losing side – landed the sideline conversion to give the Brumbies a handy buffer at the interval.
Reduced to 14 men following the 28th-minute sin-binning of centre Tyrone Smith, the Brumbies had trailed 10-0 before replacement flanker Julian Salvi carried Waratahs pair Brett Sheehan and Alfi Mafi over the line for a try eight minutes before the interval.
Gerrard also converted that five-pointer from near the touch line to trim NSW’s lead to 10-7 before adding a penalty in the 38th minute to tie the game up and then raising the touch judges’ flags for a third time in the 42nd minute.
A moment of Beale magic set up the first try of the match.
In an otherwise dull half, Beale sliced straight through the Brumbies defence in the 21st minute to put centre Tom Carter in under the posts.
Beale added the conversion and landed a penalty seven minutes later to give NSW their 10-0 advantage.
The Waratahs’ penalty was the result of a seemingly innocuous hit on Beale that prompted referee James Leckie to bin Smith.
It looked a very pedantic piece of officiating, but may have been the spur the Brumbies needed to make a match of it.
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mudskipper said | March 8th 2008 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Walton I’m not sure you watched this match. Sekope Kepu is the Waratahs prop and the ball Lote Tuqiri scored from was knocked forward by Tom Carter and missed by referee James Leckie. Unfortunately this game was decided by a referee’s decision… It would have a fair draw… Dean Mumm’s charge-down try was excellent and Lealiifano will need to be more careful with his kicking. It was a bit telling that McKenzie removed Beale before full time as he was beginning to make some poor choices and could have lost the game for the Tahs late in the second half.
No matter the Waratahs have bragging rights for 2008. Brumbies made some poor mistakes, which allowed the Waratahs on score points. Fortunately for the Brumbies they still gained a bonus point. The Waratahs are current in the top four however still have not played a top 4 team. More over their wins have been thin or lucky. Their game after this coming bye week against the Crusaders will give them a more realistic positioning on the table.
I would like to see the Waratahs play the Brumbies with a full strength team, perhaps next year… It’s was a exceptionally hard game… After a big week for the Brumbies it showed some real character…
Benny said | March 8th 2008 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
Walton – the hit on Beale was a shoulder charge. Can’t believe there is any room for misinterpretation. There was no attempt by Tyron Smith to use his arms in the tackle. Hence a penalty was awarded and the player was binned.
Mudskipper – perhaps the Waratahs are getting some of the “luck” they missed out on last year. The Waratahs lost many close games in ’07 whereas this year so far they are winning them (Chiefs game aside).
GG said | March 8th 2008 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
Brumbies were the better side. Tough game for both sides. Waratahs scrum was terrible and the brumbies lineout hopeless. I was there and havent seen the highlights yet. Stirlo did a great job as waterboy. Leckie called it as he saw it. Yes it was a knock on from carter but it was close! It definately was a shoulder charge, cheapshot and got what he deserved. I wasnt particularly happy with the way carter went around high fiving everyone in the waratahs everytime they did something good. He is new and will hopefully get over those antics.
For the record I am a brumbies supporter! Go the Brumbies
cosmos forever said | March 8th 2008 @ 7:24pm | Report comment
GG – from telly it was a hard tough game with a few highlights. Came across as a fair and even contest.
I just thought two Australian teams went at it hard and overall it was just what a derby should be. Ref’s decisions went both ways and I think the players decided the game, not Leckie.
The only thing I would have a bit of a look at was the constant targeting of the head of our hooker by Vickerman until he was forced off in the blood bin. I have no doubt the Waratahs looked to rattle the young bloke to disrupt the lineout. The shot on his as he lay in a finished ruck, AFTER the whistle and directly to the head was a low point for big Dan.
BUT, Lachie Turner had quite a shiner so maybe other things went on as well – but I think when any team uses injuring an opposing player as a strategy they lose my respect.
Standout for me – LT was completely outplayed and made to look old. His intercept try was one of the few highlights – he won’t like watching the highlight reel of how many times he was put on his bum and made to look slow by our blokes.
Other standout – Gerard putting the selectors on notice that he is wasted on the wind and should be the Wallaby full back unless someone else stands up (how does he get such distance on kicks from such a short punchy style?).
Good game – better luck to us next time.
GG said | March 9th 2008 @ 8:54pm | Report comment
Couldnt agree more Cosmos.
Gerard was definately a standout. Strange you should mention his kicks as whilst we were being rained on one of our discussion points was his style and the distance of his kicks! LT is a waste of space on the field. He offers nothing to the waratahs (and the wallabies for that matter) Great to see some young blood coming through in both sides. Hopefully in another year or two these guys will rule. We dont need names (Beale for example, alot is written but he is not doing anything on the field for me) we need players. Then our future will look bright!