The NSW Waratahs have outlasted the Brumbies 17-14 for a confidence-boosting win in their last trial match before the Super 14 competition begins.
In a mostly scrappy and error-riddled affair, the Waratahs showed flashes of brilliance to score a tight win in front of 8,321 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Waratahs scored two tries in the first half with their first-choice side on the field, before the Brumbies staged their comeback after the break.
The men in blue had most of the possession in the first half and created a handful of early chances, but strong Brumbies goal-line defence kept them out on three occasions.
Unable to crack the Brumbies defence, Phil Waugh finally elected to take the points and Kurtley Beale’s penalty goal made it 3-0.
When halfback Brett Sheehan returned from the blood bin in the 18th minute, his quick ball to Beale off the back of a ruck sparked the night’s first five-pointer.
Flyhalf Beale threw a cut-out pass to centre Timana Tahu, who made a storming run before offloading to Rob Horne who found the chalk from 10m out.
Beale scored the Waratahs’ second try in the 58th min when Daniel Halangahu managed to scoop up an ordinary ball off his bootlaces, regather and send a well-timed grubber into the in-goal area where Beale pounced.
After wholesale changes by both coaches following the halftime break, the Brumbies – down 17-0 at halftime – got their first points through a try to Christian Lealiifano.
Brumbies frontrower John Ulugia then crashed over in the 76th minute and a sweet conversion from Lealiifano made it 17-14.
Waratahs centre Tom Carter and flanker Beau Robinson were late withdrawals due to injury, handing Tahu and Ben Mowen their respective starting jerseys.
In the curtain raiser, the Brumbies second XV beat the junior Waratahs 37-14.
Beale’s performance in Thursday’s match will go a long way to securing him the No.10 jersey from challenger Halangahu.
Waratahs coach Chris Hickey praised the supreme efforts of Beale, who scored a try and set up another.
“Kurtley has worked very hard … and I think he’s made some really big improvements, we’re very happy with his kicking, particularly in the first half,” said Hickey, who finishes the pre-season with three wins from three matches.
“We’re reasonably happy with his performance and even when he switched to 12, I thought he handled himself quite well there, so that just gives us that bit more depth and a little more versatility.”
Brumbies coach Andy Friend was disappointed by his side’s lack of physicality.
“It was tough, I thought it was a very physical game, I thought we were actually outmuscled on the physical front,” Friend said.
“That’s something that we’ll need to improve.”
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ozxile said | February 6th 2009 @ 5:37am | Report comment
Samantha, thank you very much for the match report. After reading Rupert Guiness’s and Greg Gowden’s one-eyed reporting at Rugbyheaven.com I was left wondering why the Waratahs hadn’t scored a double century.
Bring Back Melon said | February 6th 2009 @ 6:27am | Report comment
So no mention of this guy who continually gets the big wraps – Josh Holmes. Did he play?
Yikes said | February 6th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Yeah – he played and played quite well. But nothing too flash. I think he’ll be a challenger to Burgess for a Wallabies spot, but Burgess offers more spark.
Spiro Zavos said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Josh Holmes had a reasonably quiet game. The NSW Waratahs looked very strong in the forwards, full of energy and grunt. The scrum was variable, sometimes very strong and at other times in danger of Baxteritis, a collpasing disease. The back were good, especially Kurtley Beale who is bigger, stronger and as quick as ever on his feet and with his passing. He tackled well, too. There were a couple of excellent set piece moves in the backs, something the Ewen McKenzie Waratahs never seemed to indulge in. The impressive Rob Horne scored an excellent try from one of these set moves.
I would think that on this showing the Waratahs are, as Robbie Deans suggests, a strong finals chance.
The ACT Brumbies were enthusiastic and willing and came back well at the end of the game to score two tries. The forwards weren’t terribly impressive at scrum time, even though the form hooker of Australian rugby, Stephen Moore, was anchoring the scrum.
The experiment of using Stirling Mortlock at inside centre did work, in my opinion. Mortlock is something of a C.lydesdale these days and his cart horse barging wasn’t greatly effective. The dashing Tyrone Smith had a huge impact when he came on. I think a backline with Smith at inside centre, Mortlock at outside centre, Clyde Rathbone (who Lachlan Turner ran around at one stage), Mark Gerrard on the wings, and Ashley-Cooper at fullback is a better combination.
What the Brumbies have going for them this season is a coach, Andy Friend, who is not afraid of exploiting the ELVs.
NickF said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:14am | Report comment
Why is that the focus is always on the backs, especially the halves. Horne’s try came from a good forward platform and Beale’s try was definatly from a good scrum push with a back-row ball to Halangahu, who kicked through for Beale, who was the first there. Beale did play a good game, he still has a problem defending when wider out (grab tackles that are way too high, and get bounced off).
The lineouts were impressive as was the scrum, but what impressed me was there was (for 60 minutes) a seriousness about the forwards that promises for the season ahead, and on a very humid February evening mustn’t have been easy.
I also though Patrick Phibbs played a very good game when he came on for the Brumbies in the second half, he set up two tries.
The only real confusing part was that Brett Sheehan and Phil Waugh are starting to look a bit too similar, Phil’s hair is just a bit longer, at the back that is.
Ben C said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:28am | Report comment
Spiro
I have to disagree. Beale’s tackling is woeful. He waits until the player passes him and then jumps on them from the side or from behind and tries to drag them to ground. He doesn’t seem to know how/want to tackle front on.
The refereeing was woeful, particularly around the scrums.
Sin-ick said | February 6th 2009 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Sorry Ben,
I have to agree with Spiro. With the exception of one incident late in the second half wen Beale was at 12, he defended quite well, from what I saw. He had Mortlock running right at him, and he never let him through.
I thought he played exremely well.
Even looser said | February 6th 2009 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Ben C Sorry mate Spiro is right. You said ” I have to disagree. Beale’s tackling is woeful. He waits until the player passes him and then jumps on them from the side or from behind and tries to drag them to ground. He doesn’t seem to know how/want to tackle front on.” That sounds pretty woeful to me, especially at S14 level. Too many opportunties for opp player to off load.
Spiro No doubt we would all like to extend Stirling’s time in a Wallaby jersey and no doubt that’s why this idea of moving him in one has been tried. Seems he just doesn’t have it to develop into a World Class IC (footwork & off load) & as you say he’s more of a Clydesdale these days, so it’s best he’s moved back to OC where he at his best. Perhaps not as good as he once was but still one of the best running around IMHO.
Even looser said | February 6th 2009 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
Oh crap – Sorry Ben too much coffee and interuption here at work.
I agree with you on KB’s defence. Not good enough at this level but then is Halangahu better in this department? Maybe, like with Hewitt, you need to take the attacking options and cover for the defensive downside.
Sin-ick said | February 6th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
EL,
Were you at the game last night? From what I saw, KB defence was very good. Infact, the whole team defended well, hence why the score was 17-0 at half time.