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Little wonder coach Michael Cheika had a grin as wide as the Sydney Heads last night at ANZ Stadium after his Waratahs at last played the Cheika way. They beat the Crusaders 32-22 and rise to the top of the Australian Conference.
It’s taken 13 rounds for the Wallaby-laden Waratahs to get the Cheika message, but it was well worth the wait.
Just about everything the Waratahs did last night was precision and positive – two benchmarks of Cheika’s coaching.
‘Enjoy yourself’ is another.
With the Crusaders also ever willing and ready to run the ball, the result was a cracker of a game. The Waratahs were in command for 60 minutes, the Crusaders for 20, with the Waratahs coming home on a wet sail in the last 20 – especially the last 10.
And full marks to a virtual rookie South African referee Marius van der Westhuizen for allowing the game to flow, and then having the bottle to yellow card Richie McCaw for a professional foul with 10 minutes left on the clock.
So the Super Rugby table looks like this with three rounds to go:
Hurricanes – won 12, lost one, with nine bonus points – 57.
Waratahs – 9-4-5 – 41.
Bulls – 7-6-7 – 35.
Chiefs – 9-4-8 – 44.
Highlanders – 9-4-7 – 43.
Brumbies – 7-6-10 – 38.
The loss looks like ending the Crusaders’ magic run of 13 consecutive seasons in the Super Rugby finals series. The seven-time champions are now in ninth place, seven points adrift of the sixth-placed Brumbies.
But for the Waratahs, it’s ever upwards if they keep playing the positive precision rugby.
Everyone played their part last night, highlighted by runaway train winger Taqele Naiyaravoro dotting down for two tries, his opposite winger Rob Horne for a runaway try, and the bonus-earning fourth try to Bernard Foley.
His chip kick over the Crusaders defence before toeing the ball towards the chalk, regathering to crash over for a superb individual try in the shadow of full-time to put the win to bed.
Naiyaravoro is the only non-Wallaby back in the run-on side, and there’s no doubt that will be corrected sooner than later, as the Waratah backs went on a run-spree.
Horne ran 93 metres, Israel Folau 90, Adam Ashley-Cooper 53, Kurtley Beale 52, Naiyaravoro 41, Foley 28 and Nick Phipps 22.
But the backs wouldn’t have enjoyed so much time and space without the forewards doing their job.
Behemoth lock Will Skelton has gone from a last 20-minute benchman to a fully-fledged 80-minute source of destruction.
His size, his determination, and his aggression has given the Waratahs’ pack a new meaning, even though he sailed pretty close twice to a yellow card for shoulder charging.
The other part of Skelton’s game that has grabbed attention is his mobility and ever readiness to off-load to keep the phase moving forward – he has a great ball-sense.
Next up it’s South Africa for the Waratahs at EllisPark for theLions,and Bloemfontein for the Cheeths where both will face a very determined Waratah pack of Benn Robinson,Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Skelton, skipper Dave Dennis,Stephen Holies, Michael Hooper, and Wycliff Palu.
And the Waratahs finish off the scheduled rounds with the old enemy – the Reds at Allianz.
In the all-important battle to top the Australian Conference, the Brumbies clash with the Bulls at home, the Force away, and the Crusaders at home.
That Australian Conference lead battle is far from over, but if the Waratahs keep playing like last night, it’s game, set and match.
Only the men in sky blue can decide that.