Waratahs coach Chris Hickey insisted his team still controlled their Super 14 rugby finals destiny despite being disappointed with their performance in a costly 26-10 loss to the lowly Highlanders in a wet Invercargill on Friday.
Starting the night in fifth position, just one point and place behind old rival Queensland, NSW couldn’t produce the control or flair to threaten the 12th-placed Highlanders.
NSW now face the prospect of having to win their two remaining games away to the Chiefs and at home to the Hurricanes and hope other results go their way.
The Waratahs will enter next weekend’s penultimate round outside the top four and captain Phil Waugh said it was now a do or die situation for his team.
Hickey denied the upset loss to the 12th-placed Highlanders would leave his team’s finals fate hinging on the results of other matches.
“I think that if we win those last two games and probably pick up a bonus point, that will be sufficient for us to get in the four,” Hickey told AAP.
“Particularly given that the top three teams are all playing each other over the next couple of weeks.”
The Highlanders were more disciplined and clinical, as the fumbling Waratahs struggled to retain possession and maintain pressure.
NSW lacked the resolve and technical ability on an inhospitable night and conceded 14 unanswered points in the second half after trailing 12-10 at the break.
Waugh said NSW were “out-willed in the contest” while Hickey felt his team struggled at the breakdown, gave away too many scrum penalties and also kicked poorly.
“There was plenty of blokes trying hard, but in those conditions if you don’t get the breakdown right, if your kicking game is poor and you’re not going forward, it’s very hard for individuals to try and create something by themselves.”
No.8 Ben Mowen and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau tried hard in the forwards, while among the backs, fullback Kurtley Beale, inside centre Berrick Barnes and wingers Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner did well with limited opportunities.
Tries to No.8 Steven Setephano and outstanding flanker Adam Thomson set up a 12-0 lead inside 13 minutes as the expected early onslaught from the home pack eventuated.
NSW finally started to hold onto possession and five-eighth Daniel Halangahu got them on the board with a 20th minute penalty.
Mowen and Barnes then combined to set up their team’s only try for Beale.
Halangahu’s conversion meant NSW entered the sheds just two points behind, but they couldn’t mount any sustained pressure into the wind after the break.
Thomson crossed for his second try in the 46th minute after another decisive incision by dangerous fullback Israel Dagg.
Five-eighth Mat Berquist missed the conversion but kicked three penalties as the Highlanders’ superior control and discipline paid dividends.
Hickey reported no new NSW injuries and said a decision would probably be made on Sunday over whether prop Benn Robinson (forearm) and centre Rob Horne (buttock) would be fit to fly over and join the squad for next weekend’s clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton.
max power
Guest
Chris most people hold the view that Waugh already is the captain coach and that he plays a large part in the problems with the Tahs at the moment
Monte16
Guest
Tom Carter should never pull on a Waratahs jersey again after that performance....And now I read in the Herald today that Barnes at 10 Carter at 12...please...does Chris Hickey want to play finals rugby or is it another Phil Waugh selected side... They say that the Tahs have recruited well but it just goes to show that they still don't have the depth of quality players in the backrow & that Phil Waugh still runs the side....
Even looser
Guest
Well said ts. I am completely at a loss as to what the Tahs management think will happen unless something is done to fix a whole bunch of things at the Waratahs. Do they honestly believe the fans will continue to pay their heard earned folding stuff to support such rubbish? Not likely! The fans boo, the fans stay away and management seems to actually get it for a while. They even run a little media PR campaign to bring fans back with all kinds of promises. The PR campaign and the fans onto the pitch after the game are all well and good but if the play sucks...........is there any point? It's not rocket science & in fact the Reds have even shown the way (thanks to the coach who was sacked by the Tahs). But someone somewhere in Tahland is just not getting it. The fans want a TEAM that will have a go. The fans aren't happy, the bottom line can't be good, the players surely can't be happy (or are they?) and yet the good ship Tah just keeps on running aground. Clearly something is very wrong somewhere. Time for the board to step-up and accept responsibilty for the sake of the suffering fans.
tahs sufferer
Guest
For the last 7 years i never mis a Tahs game or at least a replay. This weekend the only team I made sure I had time to watch was the Reds. If the tahs administrators want us to just accept Win ugly. Perhaps they themselves can accept win without money, as they are losing fans fast.
Peter K
Guest
I was furious at the Tahs, times like this I do not enjoy saying I support them. Their game plan was atrocious. Ok in thos conditions maybe you cant runit, but their lineout was pretty good, so why not kick it OUT instead of downfield where the Highlanders ran it back at will. The forwards were so badly beaten they needed to try and run the ball, they did look ok when the backs had it. The forwards are very very soft, I wrote when they lost Palu it would really hurt them and it has. They are pampered rich boys who obvioulsy have never worked hard for a living since when the going gets tough they run away. I dont mind getting beaten by a better team, but when they dont try but give up the contest it is a travesty. No excuses for the forwards, they wait on the defence until the highlanders get to them and then go backwards, standing flatfooted as you would. The highlanders had aggressive defence moving off the mark and pushing them back. IT IS NOT THAT HARD. Even if they make the finals they have very little chance.
damo
Guest
You may have something Gary. We need another attitude in the Tahs. I can't help but think that Rod Macqueen could clean out the dead wood from the top down. In regard to players it seems that NSW fills in the gaps with by buying in big money solutions. eg Anesi . There needs to be some big-heart solutions. I know there are some courageous efforts and I am not wanting to insult any players but the team itself does not lock in around a courageous plan. Why are Vickerman and Elsom not there? What drew them away? Why have they not been replaced with similar? The team needs a core of consistent "don't argue" leadership and with respect to all who are trying so hard - we don't have it. This attitude starts with the administrators (which OZ franchise has a new board?) and the coach and management staff. (Remember what ONeil, Macqueen and Eales did?) The Captain works with the suits and the team follows. Tahs would say this is already happening. May be - but in the professional era of percentages, perhaps not enough. I am commenting from a position of ignorance outside the inner sanctum. But the Tahs have had the same problem for over 10 years despite a ton of talent and courageous effort from many individual players.
Gary
Guest
Hopefully the Tahs recruiters will have a look at the quality players in he Shute shield insead of just buying in players from the other S14 teams.
Chris
Guest
How much was Anesi talked up at the beggining of the season. All of this "ex All Black" stuff - as if the Tahs were signing a genuine superstar. He played one match in a second string team against Tonga. Perhaps the Tahs should have realised there was a reason he wasn't getting game time for the Chiefs. Not that I am at all annoyed - is there anything better than seeing the Waratahs lose? Vaguely recall a certain commentator on this site saying 2010 was the year of the Waratah. It will never be the year of the Waratah, they are perennial chokers.
Mike G
Guest
Agree pass, as the commentator was saying, Palmer was actually the best of a very bad bunch. I've absolutely nfi why Carter is a professional footballer, and what is with Anesi being the "marquee" signing...what a disgrace. The overall performane was inept and has done real damage now to their finals aspirations. It is becoming blatantly obvious that Hickey has to go and whilst I've supported him recently I think Waugh's days are over...umm, hang on they resigned him. Typical. The one lucky break was the other results over the weekend actually worked for us in terms of keeping close to 4th, only problem now is there's now 2 more sides breathing down our neck!! Wise up Tahs, it's do or die now, & you've got noone to blame but yourselves
et
Guest
The Tahs are a bunch of soft ck Sydney posers, plain and simple. They are only good at strutting around bondi in their Tahs cossies
Tim
Guest
I don't enjoy supporting the Tahs.
Chris
Guest
and the Queensland myth comes to an abrupt end. Finals race is wide open now. Even the Sharks have a shot with a big win tonight.
Even looser
Guest
Well it's more than 24 hours since I sat through that crap excuse for a game. And I'm still stumped at what NSW were attempting to do. Please excuse my manners. Well done Highlanders. Clearly the better team & playing exactly the right game plan. As for NSW, how did they expect the Highlanders to play? Answer - Exactly the way they did. So no surprises there. What did they expect of likely weather on the Southern Island of NZ? Wet & windy. Do you think!!!!! Anyone surprised there?. So can someone....anyone....please tell me what they reckon the coach's idea of a game plan actually was? Because I saw frigging zero last night that stood a chance of getting the result. Fair dinkum Noddy & Big Ears could have come up with something better than those crap tactics. Time to clean out the dead heads, and that includes the coach.
dunc
Guest
Well who has been disappointing in 2010 ? Brumbies - a bunch of individual "stars". And now very unhappy. Chiefs - inconsistent and not good enough up front. My team - the Hurricanes - loose, sloppy, drop the ball all the time. Waratahs - another lost season beckons.
Jerry
Guest
If you're not held, you can get to your feet immediately without releasing the ball. It's only if you are held you have to release and get to your feet.
johnny-boy
Guest
It couldnt happen to a nicer team ...
JK
Guest
He wasn't held
johno
Guest
All that pressure to play attractive rugby has come back to bite the Tahs. If they had stuck to their original game thsye wouldn't have made to look so ordinary. I don't think they would have won. The Highlanders love playing this time of year and especially in this weather and those boys from Southland just love to wallow in the mud and bash it up in the rain, nobody beats them at that type of game. Well not in the SH in any case
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
I heartily concur. Both knees hit the ground and he did not release the ball, so should have been penalised. Seems Law 15 only counts sometimes. Can we ask Lyndon Bray to have a squiz at it?
passdashooga
Roar Rookie
Palmer was the only good thing to come out of that performance. The Highlanders struggled to get clean ball from scrums in Tahs territory, due to the scrum turning from Palmer's side. This happened on a number of occasions. He was very busy around the ruck too. He needs a haircut though.