Rampant Waratahs to meet Crusaders in Super 14 final
By Darren Walton, 25 May 2008 Darren Walton is a Roar Guru
The NSW Waratahs will be gunning for their maiden Super 14 title next Saturday after sinking the Sharks 28-13 in a one-sided semi-final at the Sydney Football Stadium.
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The rampant Waratahs ran in four tries to one to set up a rematch of their 2005 final showdown with six-times champions the Crusaders.
The benchmark Crusaders earlier tonight qualified for their ninth final in 11 years with a similarly impressive 33-22 triumph over the Hurricanes in the first semi-final in Christchurch.
The Waratahs have only ever beaten the Crusaders once in New Zealand but will cross the Tasman oozing confidence after dominating the Sharks in virtually all facets.
Apart from the tryscoring flurry, the Waratahs won the battle at the breakdown, stole five lineouts from the Sharks and led by powerhouse performances from back-rowers Rocky Elsom and Phil Waugh and lock Dean Mumm, physically destroyed the South African forwards.
Just like his entire team at halftime and fulltime, Waugh received a standing ovation from the 37,378-strong crowd when replaced in the 62nd minute of his 100th match for the Waratahs.
The Waratahs’ only concern was another poor display of goalkicking from five-eighth Kurtley Beale.
After landing just three from seven attempts against Queensland last week, the youngster could only manage two from seven this evening.
Beale’s inaccuracy was the only thing which kept the Sharks in the match until midway through the second half and another off night next week could prove very costly for the Waratahs.
The Waratahs haven’t beaten the Crusaders since 2004 and will need everything to go their way to score a rare win in New Zealand’s second-largest city.
In addition to losing their last five encounters with the Crusaders, the Waratahs have won just once in eight attempts in Christchurch since the tournament’s inception in 1996.
Among their seven defeats there was a 35-25 loss in the 2005 final and a 34-7 humbling in round six this season.
But, as evident once again tonight, the Waratahs are far more accomplished outfit two months on from their last-up capitulation to the Crusaders.
After falling behind to an early drop goal to Sharks flyhalf Ruan Pienaar, the Tahs’ utterly outplayed last year’s losing finalists.
Tries to superstar winger Lote Tuqiri in the 26th minute and teenage centre Rob Horne on the half hour, plus a conversion and penalty goal to Beale, gave NSW a 15-6 halftime lead.
The Waratahs skipped further ahead a minute after the break when Beale crossed, with Elsom throwing the final pass just as he had for Horne’s five-pointer.
The match was as good as over when halfback Luke Burgess intercepted a pass from the base of the Sharks scrum to run in NSW’s fourth try in the 45th minute and stretch the home side’s lead to 25-6.
The Sharks added a consolation try to replacement hooker Craig Burden nine minutes from time before Beale had the final say, nailing a drop goal in the dying stages to give him a full set of try, conversion and penalty goal.
The comprehensive victory completed an unbeaten home campaign for the Waratahs, leaving Waugh delighted.
“Defence has been a big part of our game this year and we stood up again,” Waugh said after the Tahs’ seventh win from seven at the SFS in 2008.
“Off to Christchurch next week and we’ll freshen up and it’s obviously a big week.
“Our execution could have been a lot better, but it’s obviously a very pleasing result.
“The Crusaders have been the form team all year and they deserve to have a home final.
“It’s a big week (ahead of us).
“We’ve got a lot of inexperienced guys here and they’ve done really well all year, so I guess it’s a matter of freshening up and making sure we get ready to play.”
Match stats
HSBC Waratahs 28
Tries: Lote Tuqiri, Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess
Conversions: Kurtley Beale 1/4
Penalty Goals: Kurtley Beale 1/3
Drop Goals: Kurtley Beale 1/2Sharks 13
Try: Craig Burden
Conversion: Rory Kockott 1/1
Penalty Goals: Francois Steyn 1/1
Drop Goals: Ruan Pienaar 1/2By the clock
3rd – Ruan Pienaar drop goal. HSBC Waratahs 0 Sharks 3.
13th – Kurtley Beale missed penalty goal.
18th – Kurtley Beale penalty goal. HSBC Waratahs 3 Sharks 3.
26th – Lote Tuqiri try; Kurtley Beale conversion. HSBC Waratahs 10 Sharks 3.
30th – Rob Horne try; Kurtley Beale missed conversion. HSBC Waratahs 15 Sharks 3.
37th – Francois Steyn penalty goal. HSBC Waratahs 15 Sharks 6.
40th – Ruan Pienaar missed drop goal.Half Time – HSBC Waratahs 15 Sharks 6
42nd – Kurtley Beale try; Kurtley Beale missed conversion. HSBC Waratahs 20 Sharks 6.
45th – Luke Burgess try; Kurtley Beale missed conversion. HSBC Waratahs 25 Sharks 6.
55th – Kurtley Beale missed penalty goal.
71st – Craig Burden try; Rory Kockott conversion. HSBC Wartaahs 25 Sharks 13.76th – Kurtley Beale missed drop goal.
78th – Kurtley Beale drop goal. HSBC Waratahs 28 Sharks 13.
More photos of the match – by The Roar
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May 26th 2008 @ 4:26am
tribalthunder said | May 26th 2008 @ 4:26am | Report comment
everyone has something to say about Beale, and youve heard it all before but i rate him. did anyone see that restart where he found touch in their 22- brilliant. Some dodgy goal kicking could prove costly next week but Jools he cant be too bad if hes got them into the final after leadng a pretty young backline thoughout the whole season from number 10. i bet the forwards put him range this weekend for a few attempts its a skill worth using.
As for elsom, i agree. he’s worth a bucket load of money and they should pay him. he and palu are essential wallabies and should both be starters in their positions untill after 2011. i thought mumm really stood up but see him more as a back up to Elsom for the wallabies. wallabies of old to take out bledisloe this year.
May 26th 2008 @ 8:41am
stillmissit said | May 26th 2008 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Jools and Tribal
Elsom is critical and has been critical for a while. He puts in big games when others go missing which I believe is one of the highest compliments you can give a player. I understand the attraction to a young man but Australia needs him until 2011. Maybe the answer might be play this Wallabies season and then a northern winter in Ireland (that should fix him) and then back in time for the Wallaby season 2009 missing the S14.
Beale is a different matter. He has buckets of talent there is no Q about that. Is he a 10 or a 12 or even a 15 is the big Q. Whatever he is, his importance to the Wallabies is marked out for the next 10 years assuming he doesn’t go to league, which I have always thought he would do. Bring back the eccentric kicking coach, Perkins was it?
How good is Horne looking for a youngster? Seems so much older than his years. Has Wallaby centre written all over him.
May 26th 2008 @ 8:46am
stillmissit said | May 26th 2008 @ 8:46am | Report comment
Blinky
I think it is not only what they do when they come on but when EMc brings them on. He seems to be working to a formular rather than doing what the game needs at the time.
I think we jump from ‘Christ we are in the Shit’ to ‘This is too easy’ too quickly and therefore don’t skewer the opposition fully on the end of the sword.
I’m watching for a Dunning DGoal on Saturday following your warning that he is getting excited.
May 26th 2008 @ 9:34am
Blinky Bill said | May 26th 2008 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Jools-USA
I enjoy reading what you & others have to say on this forum. It so often provides me with a different perspective on things.
On Rocky Elsom – He sure seems essential to many on here who appear to know their Rugby and so I wonder why the ARU is stuffing around with his contract. Mind you, I’ve no real idea who’s ‘waiting in the wings’ that may replace him if he walks but if I can see how good he is then surely those at the ARU who count can too.
On the Tahs kicking penalties and conversions – You make an excellent point about McCaw and what he’s likely to do. The question is what can be done this close to the bugle sounding other than load-up, fix bayonets & support your mates?
If I’ve had a favourite whinge about E.Mc, it’s been that he appears (to me anyways) to lack an alternative when things aren’t going well enough. No plan B, no back-up kicker that we’re seeing. Is it a stubborness thing?
I want the Tahs to play with confidence from the kickoff and not go into their shells. Attack, smash them, attack, smash them and rack-up points until the final hooter. That’d be my game plan. Dumb as it is.The Crusaders have taught us that we can’t rely soley on our defence when playing them. Ewen will have noted that and be burning the midnight oil, watching tapes of all teams that have played the Crusaders, looking for a flaw in their game plan.
As I’ve said there’s plenty on here who know heaps about the game. What game plans should the Tahs adopt?
May 26th 2008 @ 10:32am
Roger said | May 26th 2008 @ 10:32am | Report comment
Unfortunately we all know that both team in initial stages will kick.
So, tahs should at all costs refrain from kicking the ball down the throat of the back 3.
Any kicking should either be well into touch (avoiding counter attacks…and so far into touch that quick lineouts and counter attacks not allowed by CRU),
or
kicking to a contest by either well placed bombs (tahs have great chasers in Horne and Carter) or once in crusaders half, try a few chip kicks or short bombs (kicking to contest) to bring back 3 from crusaders closer to the line thus allowing tahs to kick later over their heads and get them retrieving kicks on defensive).
If the tahs kickers accept that we want structured line out ball where we can steal their lineouts and give ourselves great set peice ball, they will need to make a conscious decision not to try and seek every grain of terrotory with kicks. Remember, they have a new inexperienced hooker now Flynn is out. Here, we should accept gaining 40m where the ball goes into the crowd rather than trying to kick it 60m and the CRU just have a quick lineout and then run or kick it back.
Crusaders are going to go into the game knowing that the tahs defensive kicking is terrible i.e they will kick from set peice forcing tuquiri and truner to run back and return fire. Unless turner and Lote can play a flawless game, tahs will either return with a defensive bomb and chase, kick it out in their own half, or just give it back to a crusaders backline on the front foot at the 60 m mark. Disaster. I think the tahs will need to accept that kicking the ball back voa a long kick is fruitless, kicking back by bomb and chase is risky (done only when in lead, and that kickin it into touch (where we have a strong lineout) is preferable.
Accepting the above, and that the tahs backline rush up in defense rather than coming back to help, the back 3 for tahs will need to either kick for touch…OR they can chance their arm and run it back in true randwick style. This carries a huge amount of risk, but has a better chance of retaining possession than an up and under. I dont think tahs will try this inside their own 40m or unless they were behind.
What is indeed unfortunate is that Richie McCaw, knowing that Beale’s goal kicking is dodgy, will break every rule in the book, knowing also that a ref is unlikely to send him off (being CU and NZ captain)…
An article in the kiwi press today discusses that the game will almost solely be determined by the performance of Carter v Beale.
If the tahs keep their own house in order with general kicking and goal kicking, then provided the aggression of forwards is constant, we should attack them through their tight 5. If the tahs can play the agressive defensive game they have in the last few games, they can disrupt the crusaders ball. What tahs cant assume is that if we give them clean ball we can rely on smashing their backs….what we all know is that MsDonald, Hamilton etc are so calm in unstructured play that even if we get their backs on the back foot after big tackles, they will backtrack (touch footy style) and then direct the attack back at our tight five as they trudge across the field.
The game will almost be about how smart the tahs play and adapt to the game. The crusaders at several times this year have shown their ability to pick and drive a team into submission, although losing Corey Flynn wont help that. The Crusaders are a very smart team who will adapt faster than others. If they arent getting the space out wide, they will pick and drive until the tahs forwards get tired and stop fanning out in defense. Tahs will just need to be smarter.
So if kurtley kicks some goals, the tahs kick to contest or kick ball into the crowd when kicking for touch, and if we smash their tight five, tahs should win. Quite a few ifs!
May 26th 2008 @ 10:49am
Roger said | May 26th 2008 @ 10:49am | Report comment
What I omitted to say was that we should adopt a plan to run a group of of forwards at McCaw off the first phase when possible. Direct Palu and Elsom and a few buddies straight at him off the first phase, and put him on the bottom of a ruck. This carries the usual risk that if a player is isolated, Richie will steal the ball, but given its a Gfinal, this shouldnt be a problem for at least the first half hour. If we put Richie on the bottom of a ruck for the first phase, he might not get to his feet until maybe 2 phases later. Once he is on his feet, put some more big boys in front of him and run at him again!
Everyone should remember how Richard Hill took George Smith out of the matches during the 03 World Cup, (or maybe Lions tour , not sure). England (or Lions) pretty much ran at Smith with their biggest boys in the first phase, and then a couple of their front rowers just laid thereholding Smith down. Also, Richard Hil was told to hit smith in attack whether he was on the ball or not, solely on the proviso that Smith was within 1-2 m of the ball. Smith battled well, but fatigued more than usual.
May 26th 2008 @ 3:08pm
tribalthunder said | May 26th 2008 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
stillmissit- a test champion plays consistantly and yes Elsom has that in his game no doubt. if he were to head OS id have no problem with McMenimen slotting in there to work on his consistency- injuries pending. he’s quicker, is a great jumper like Elsom and is still a young ‘fella with the same no nonsense attitude
its amazing how all of a sudden we appear to have more depth than last season. find of the seaon at the tahs has to be horne- Deans will have no worries with a young 19 year old who scrores tries and smashes blokes in mid field. he’ll be a solid back up for Mortlock and Cooper.
Blinky- i agree that we have to attack, attack and attack. if we kick too much theyll run us all over the park and thats how they win. Beale to kick a few FG. Waugh is having a grat season as well and will give McCaw his hardest game all year.