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The Waratahs are the 2014 Super Rugby champions, Bernard Foley slotting a 79th minute penalty to see the New South Welshmen beat the Crusaders 33-32.
The Crusaders seemed destined to win their eighth title when Colin Slade kicked a 75th minute penalty for a 32-30 lead, but the Waratahs stayed calm and clawed their way back into the Crusaders half, before All Black captain Richie McCaw was penalised for a ruck infringement.
Foley was tossed the kicking tee dead in front of the posts and 45 metres out, a distance he later described as “right on my border”, but his eighth goal of the match was never in doubt.
Foley ended up with a game tally of 23 points, the most ever scored by an individual in a Super Rugby final. The other 10 came from two-try scoring man of the match Adam Ashley-Cooper.
#WARvCRU half-time | Tahs lead the way 20-13. Foley's five penalties have seen him become NSW's highest points scorer in calendar year ever.
— NSW Waratahs (@NSWWaratahs) August 2, 2014
The Waratahs burst out of the blocks at the start of the match, racing to a 14-0 lead within 15 minutes. Ashley-Cooper’s first try showed exactly how the Tahs intended to play – a beautiful cut-out pass from Kurtley Beale to Foley on the left flank was quickly recycled and the Tahs put it through hands to the other side of the field, Ashley-Cooper straightening up and crashing over.
Crusaders captain Kieran Read rallied his troops, and his words had almost immediate effect, with a loose Nick Phipps kick being cleaned up inside the Crusaders’ half and the counter attack resulting in Matt Todd scoring in the corner, Dan Carter adding the extras to make it 14-7.
Shortly after, Michael Hooper was penalised for not staying on his feet, dead in front of his goalposts. In an ominous sign, Carter gave the kick to Slade. Carter was slow getting up after being tackled after the re-start, and at the half-hour mark he left the field.
While we’ll never know what the result may have been if a fully fit Carter had played 80 minutes, Slade did himself proud, slotting all seven of his goal opportunities, including a pearler of a conversion after Nemani Nadolo scored a controversial try in the left corner just after halftime, his boot appearing to brush the chalk.
For those who said ANZ Stadium was in effect a neutral venue, the vocal Sydney crowd of 61,823 certainly made their presence felt, particularly at the line-out where the Crusaders had to make re-calls a number of times.
The Crusaders targeted the Waratahs’ scrum in the second half, resulting in the Tahs being penalised in successive scrums on their feed. The first penalty gave the Crusaders field position, the second saw Slade convert the position into a 23-20 lead.
Tit-for-tat with penalties followed, until the 60th minute when Ashley-Cooper beat Dominic Bird to swan-dive over for his second try, the result of constant testing of the Crusaders’ defence.
Todd Blackadder rang the changes following the try, bringing on four fresh players. Their impact was almost immediate, the Waratahs happy to blunt an attacking raid in their half with a penalty, and Slade pulled his team back to within 1.
The Waratahs looked bound for more points after a 15-phase attack in the Crusaders’ half, but the men from Canterbury’s defence was staunch, eventually winning them a penalty and attacking field position.
The Waratahs’ defence looked to be similarly effective, until replacement hooker Tola Latu was penalised for being offside and Slade put the Crusaders back in front 32-30.
With minutes to play, the Waratahs appeared destined to once again be the bridesmaids, but sustained attacking phases were again rewarded when Richie McCaw was caught offside 45 metres out and dead in front.
Foley made the kick of his life and the Waratahs held on for 20 seconds from the re-start, before putting the ball over the sideline after the siren to be crowned champions.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.