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If Waratahs coach Michael Cheika was forced to make a choice he’d rather win ugly, than lose looking good.
The stats demanded the Waratahs should have won looking good last night against the Hurricanes at Hamilton, but lost 41-29.
The Waratahs comprehensively won the rucks and mauls 112-63, ran the ball 946 metres to 761 looking good, and missed only 18 tackles to 38.
The men-in-blue turned in some rollicking rousing rugby, but the Hurricanes pounced as soon as the Waratahs stuffed up.
And they stuffed up often, even when they looked good.
No better example than a 15-minute period early in the second half when the Waratahs turned over possession seven times to one in attack and the Hurricanes crossed for three tries to prop Reg Goodes, who literally pinched the ball off Paddy Ryan standing up, hooker Motu Matu’u, and the man-of-the-match – winger Julian Savea – for his second.
That was a rugby nous try.
Savea was following through a kick. The ball was in an awkward place so Savea at full pace flicked it up with his left foot into his two massive hands, and buzzed off into clear space with the Waratah defence shot to bits.
Magnificent.
Let’s face it, nous was the difference between the two sides last night. The Hurricanes had it across the park, the Waratahs wished they did.
Just another one-off example, Julian Savea is a match-winner, so the Hurricanes inside-backs made sure they fed the 193cm, 109kg destructive machine.
When are the Waratahs going to do the same with full-back Israel Folau?
He is a menace to the opposition once he gets the ball in his hands. He’s a big unit like Savea at 198cm and 98kgs and he knows how to use it.
Let him.
Up front, another classy No 7 debuted last night – Wellington’s 19-year-old Ardie Savea, Julian’s younger brother.
The youngster had a great duel with Michael Hooper and they came out about even which was one helluva salute to Savea.
So where to now for Michael Cheika?
He knows he’s on the right track trying to change the Waratah culture that’s been choking the franchise.
But it’s an on-going battle when skipper David Dennis freely admits his side is making the same mistakes every week – “and they are killing us”.
Nous?
It’s like ball sense, you have it or you don’t. Ball sense can’t be taught, or coached.
Nor can nous.
So Cheika’s only alternative is to soldier on, and hope the penny will drop with his troops, rather than dropping the ball when a try is on offer.
The frustration for Cheika can only be imagined.
He’s not asking his side to rewrite the way rugby is played. All he wants is for the Waratahs to do the simple basics right, and take the right options more often that not.
The latter takes nous, so it’s best left for just the basics to be mastered.
The Waratahs have a bye this week to mull it over.