Berrick Barnes had his best all-round game of the season, but he couldn’t stop the Waratahs from snatching a 27-24 defeat from the jaws of victory against the Bulls at Allianz Stadium last night.
Gut-wrenching.
In a must-win game to stay anywhere near contention, the Waratahs led 24-20 with just two minutes left on the clock. But the Bulls were not to be denied.
In a series of raids within sniffing distance of the Waratahs’ try-line, sheer persistency and patience paid off when Werner Kruger crashed over for sharp-shooter Morne Steyn to add the extras and take the points.
So close yet so far for the Waratahs. It was the first time since 2009 they have lost three Super games on the trot. That stat did nothing for their well-being either.
On the other side of the coin, Barnes was in the thick of it in both attack and defence. He set up two of the three tries, one in each half.
The first was a long double cut-out pass to Rob Horne, and with Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tom Kingston both running perfect decoy lines, Horne was in a gap as wide as Sydney Heads, and outpaced the defence to score. Brilliant.
The second was seeing winger Atieli Pakalani unmarked wide out to the right, and finding him with another long perfectly timed pass.
While his kicking game around the park is still work in progress, Barnes’ defence was heavy duty. Some of his tackles stopped far bigger opponents dead in their tracks. Their gasps on contact were enough evidence of Barnes’ intent.
And his combination with the new mid-field of Ashley-Cooper and Horne looks promising. It would have been even better last night had it not been for recalled half-back Sarel Pretorius turning in a pedestrian performance from both set and general play.
His fairy-floss and inaccurate passes stunted the attack. He was the main offender in a first half where the Waratahs owned the game, but could only lead 13-10.
With 59 percent possession, spending 63 percent in the Bulls half, and four minutes and 58 seconds in their quarter (as compared to two minutes 33 by the Bulls in reply), and dominating rucks and mauls 49-30, was enough to lead by at least 20 points and the game would have been all over.
Had axed Brendan McKibbin been on duty, there’s little doubt those points would have been on the scoreboard. The backline looked considerably livelier once McKibbin came on in the second half.
This was the game that got away from the home side. They gave the 17,368 crowd some magic moments of rugby, some heart-stoppers when they messed up and finally an uppercut in the throws of full time.
But that’s not taking anything away from the Bulls. They didn’t play well, but found a way to win.
The Waratahs have forgotten how to do that.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
"I couldn’t care less for your skin colour or the language you speak." I'm sorry I didn't realise he deserved a bunch of chocolates and a hug for being born, looking and speaking like a couple of million other people.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Completely agree that fitness is a key, for all the good points about the Tahs pack they need more cardio. It was under Hickey that he decided his team was getting out muscled too often, they have fixed that but lost huge amounts of fitness in doing so. A better balance is required.
Justin2
Guest
Barely
Sage
Guest
Gotta pay that one. Ha !!!
DCR
Guest
Just where to begin is difficult this week. I didn't see the Brumbies game so I went looking to see an improvement on the Crusaders game. There was little improvement if any to report and that is depressing. In my mind this year was always going to be about rebuilding after the wasted and destructive Hickey years. It was always going to be an ugly one on the scoreboard because it seemed to me that we were rebuilding a style of play and a backline whilst we had a pretty good pack. So it has proven. Our pack get us a lot of ball and then zip. We have little in the backline. At the heart of our problems are two dreadful flaws; our style of play and our backline performance. Our style of play is from the amateur days and the worst of those days to boot. Randwick in the 80's would flog the Waratahs by 50 points. Nothing accentuates that more than our kicking and dreadful passing. It is amateur. But it goes further, our forward and back cohesion is almost non-existent. Ben Robinson played as much at 10 on Friday as Barnes as far as I could see. The forwards either keep it to themselves for a while then give it to the backs then we are in a cul-de-sac of one phase or two then chaos or a predictable aimless kick. Foleys seems to have done absolutely nothing to fix this. Maybe it is hopeless with the current backline personnel at his disposal. In that respect he has my sympathy. He does not have a 10, 12 or 15 remotely close to what he needs to play professionally. Regrettably that our backs have not been properly recruited and coached since rugby turned professional has left a deep blight on our team. So what to do. Foley and the fans need to be reminded that we have good players at 9, 11, and 14. I have McKibbin at 9, but he needs supportive coaching not this in out rubbish that kills confidence. Now it gets incredibly difficult with the cattle on offer. So here is what I would do. Play Halangahu at 10. Put the smaller Timani at 12, Ashley Cooper at 13 and Horne at 15 and shoot the first one of them who kicks the ball. The only one who can kick it is McKibbin and I would make him captain of the backs and possibly captain of the team. I would work on developing a total possession game where you just never kick it away, unless it is McKibbin or very rarely to score a try. Then we work on the interplay between backs and forwards and all the off the ball running that the Crusaders did so brilliantly against us a fortnight ago. In the forwards I would drop Mumm and Poloto-Nau to the bench, neither do enough work. Then I would plan an out of season regime the likes of which they would never have seen before so that I don't have to watch the trial of players (Palu, Douglas, Kefu, Elsom at least had an excuse - it was his first start from a serious injury) trudging to the reserves bench totally spent from the battle as we witnessed on Friday. 2012 is over so I beg Foley to start showing evidence of his coaching to fix our flaws. Or I begin my recruit Phil Mooney as coach drive.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
What is this Joshy guy? The Lippy of South African posters? It might as well be another one of his accounts.
TembaVJ
Guest
And the r@cist big0t is strong in you jiggles, clearly you have no life sitting arguing online on a Saturday night. I feel kind of sorry for you. Joshy good on ya for putting him in his place but I fear there is no end in sight, just leave it. Great game by the Rebels, I love their passion... especially the the crowd
matthew
Guest
Pretorious was the top try scorer in SR last year and played well in a really exciting mid table Cheetahs team. Maybe the Tah vibes are getting to him and he isnt used to playing in front of such a dispassionate crowd.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
No they are pretty super duper. I think we should just call it quits now and give them the trophy.
Joshy
Guest
You were the one that brought it up. How was my post incoherent? Because your opinion disagrees? Once again, I didn't say they are a "super duper awesome team". Stop taking the childish route by trying to sarcastically put words in my mouth. I've clearly rattled you. Any side that is currently sitting 1st or 2nd at this time of the season can most certainly go on all the way, especially a team with pedigree.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
What's with you and race? Typical South African thinking everyone gives a toot what he is or isn't. Oh Is that what your post was? Putting me in my place? Well now that I know that's what the the intention of that post was, to put me in my place, then consider me put. Next time I see an incoherent rant from you I will also consider myself put in my place. I only one poster is doing the pile-driving around here, and thats you! You're right, the Bulls are a super duper awesome team. They are going all the way this year...
jeznez
Roar Guru
not a bad call SP
mikeylives
Guest
Except for the Wallabies
Joshy
Guest
Do you have a problem with Afrikaners? So what if the Dutch were strong in me? What has that got to do with a discussion on rugby? Nothing, you were just getting put in your place so you went straight for an attempted personal attack that back fired.
Reilly
Roar Rookie
You have a future in stats work Jez, you are spot on!
Suzy Poison
Guest
Replace Pakilani with Sarel on the wing, that's my call.
Reilly
Roar Rookie
Barnes has lifted his game yes but he has NO history of winning at this level to any great degree or being in a team that score tries consistently.
Suzy Poison
Guest
As a Saffa my thoughts are, this is an immature Bulls team, but they keep winning and will get better. I support the Stormers, but there is something about the self belief of the Bulls, that is a winning quality. People commented that when the scraped home against the Rebels, the Bulls aren't championship material. Then the Saders lost to the Rebels, so maybe winning that game, wasn't such a bad result. Rebels are on the up. Pakilani is an idiot, he throw the ball at Flip Van Merwe's head after scoring the try. That was an incredibly stupid thing to do. That more than anything lit a fire under the Bulls, that burned till the end. After that you had 15 angry men in pink, always scary? When will Aussies learn that this kind of behavior is not needed on the field. Quade was a marked man and he brought it on himself, at the World Cup. Quade's behavior was simply unacceptable, and the Wallabies paid the price. Don't do it guys, score the try and walk away! Over the top celebrations, always come back to haunt you. I don't see Digby doing any break-dancing for the Reds this year? McKibbon has a much better pass than Sarel, sad to say, but true. I am a Saffa, and I would pick McKibbon every time. Sarel's passing game is just shocking. Balloon passes. As soon as McKibbon came on Barnes looked better. Sarel is better suited to playing wing!
Jiggles
Roar Guru
I couldn't care less for your skin colour or the language you speak. I don't believe there is a single rational point above, just an incoherent one eyed rant. Thus I gave it the attention it deserves.
Joshy
Guest
Careful with the stereotyping. I am actually of color and can only speak english. I assume with your guru avatar, you are a supposed senior poster here. Act like one. Obviously you couldn't argue with my points, so you go to personal insults.