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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February 6th 2009 @ 1:16pm
Even looser said | February 6th 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
Sin-ick
No, sadly I couldn’t be at the game (I’m in need of a Rugby fix) but I grilled my mate about it and he’s usually pretty reliable.
Since then I have read all I could find in reports and watched the report on Fox Sports. Not much being written (mostly rehash) & it’s always hard to put much stock in trials. Hey they’re trials after all.
Sounds as if you were there and you liked KB’s defence on Mortlock. So that’s got tell us something.
On SM do you think he’s a chance at IC? My concern with him is strength is busting the tackle with leg drive & at IC he just doesn’t get the time & space for that. Notice I’m avoiding mentioning ‘age’.
February 6th 2009 @ 1:34pm
Sin-ick said | February 6th 2009 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
I was there, and all signs looked good.
Stirlo at 12, not sure about that one. The All Blacks have been using 12 as snd 5/8 for years and it has worked very well. Even last night when Kurtley moved to inside and Hallas moved to 5/8 it just gave more options.
Stirlo is just a bulldozer these days. I think he is better suited to 13.
February 6th 2009 @ 1:41pm
Even looser said | February 6th 2009 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
I agree at SM better at 13.
My question from a Wallaby perspective (and I don’t want to bring his Captaincy into question) is about whether someone else is better at 13 than him, AND at which point the coach says time for a change. For mine the Captain has to be best in his position. Not best at being Captain and now where can we slot him?
Still I’m sure Robbie Deans has all of this thought through.
February 6th 2009 @ 2:09pm
NickF said | February 6th 2009 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
I was at the game last night, I thought KB defence was OK in the first half, but when he moved out it detoriated. It looks like a confidence thing, he seems to snatch at a player when he needs to get lower.
Mortlock looked a bit slow, but then all the Brumbies looks ot the oace. The forwards were red faced 10 min into the second hald, Gerard drop a few high balls and Rahtbone was made look slow by Turner. But when Mortlock put a bit of urgency into a run he was hard to stop.
February 6th 2009 @ 5:34pm
Ben C said | February 6th 2009 @ 5:34pm | Report comment
I will concede the point to NickF. KB made some reasonable tackles in the first half but as very sloppy in defence by the second half. Whether it was the positional change or loosing interest as he got tired, his tackling in the second half was woeful.
February 6th 2009 @ 10:36pm
bozo said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
How credible are these contributions? Even Looser makes a big call about the performance of Beale and it turns out it was based on what a mate told him! Then he gets stuck into Peter Hewat. I suspect both Hewat and London Irish are very happy about where he is now. Can those who do not actually watch rugby be excluded from making contributions?
February 6th 2009 @ 10:57pm
westy said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:57pm | Report comment
i know i know I am probably a one issue man but was there any reason this game could not have been played at Parramatta .The first trial was correctly played at Newcastle. this was a trial . this is our chance to spread the message. Tickets were reasonably priced. We must not let simple opportunities like this go by. We got a crowd of 7000 /8000 rusted on supporters. If Parramatta was not available try penrith CUA / next Western weekender at St marys is a good oval with a ten thousand capacity. is it me or are we serious about developing the game in areas where our profile can be improved. What happens between the talk and the action.
February 7th 2009 @ 8:57am
Even looser said | February 7th 2009 @ 8:57am | Report comment
bozo – Where’s your contribution pal?
Actually I didn’t get stuck into Peter Hewat at all. In fact I’ve always admired his style of play from watching him at club to S14. However – and most would agree – he does have defensive defects that need to be covered. I am not at all surprised he has done well in the UK. Half his luck and I wish him well.
My opinions are formed by what I saw from last year, what I read in the papers & on the internet (eg Roar), what little (if any) video footage I can watch plus a conversation with a mate on the game.
So if you watched it contribute. If not then perhaps you should take your own advice.
February 7th 2009 @ 9:19am
Ben C said | February 7th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Westy
As someone who paid a fair bit for season tickets and who works in the city, I was happy to see one of the trials at SFS. Putting self-interest aside, as someone interested in the development of rugby I agree it was a shame NSWRU didn’t look to the Western Suburbs or even another country venue to ‘spread the word’. I suspect that they are probably tied in to having one of the trials at SFS due to the contract with SFS, particularly as a marque match each year will now be sent to ANZ Stadium. Short-sighted but few people have accused the NSWRU of taking the long view. Or the short view. Or any view past the Eastern suburbs/lower North Shore.
Bozo
I thought KB’s defence was poor in the second half. One man’s impression only but I was at the match and stick by my view.
February 7th 2009 @ 5:11pm
Yikes said | February 7th 2009 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
Westy, my belief is that one trial must be played at SFS as per the Tahs’ contract.
My mail is that Parramatta was considered re holding the Fiji trial there (with large Islander population out west to draw upon) but a deal could not be struck and Newcastle put in a better offer.
What killed the trial was playing it on a Thursday, at the Brumbies’ request so they could have a full week off before their 1st comp game on Friday. Who’s going to turn up to a trial on a Thursday?