Rueful coach Michael Cheika chastised his sloppy NSW Waratahs after an error-riddled 21-13 Super Rugby loss to the Blues handed the Brumbies a handy buffer atop the Australian conference.
The Waratahs committed a whopping 16 handling errors and will leave Auckland empty-handed yet again despite their up-tempo and enterprising style producing countless try-scoring chances on Friday night.
Flanker Jacques Potgeiter crossed for NSW’s only try midway through the second half after winger Rob Horne was twice denied by the video referee and other promising attacking raids broke down with loose carries or pushed passes.
“Maybe they think they’re the Harlem Globetrotters, I don’t know,” Cheika said.
“He wasn’t too happy, but he didn’t really need to say anything because we were all more disappointed,” added halfback Nick Phipps after admitting the Waratahs had been their own worst enemies.
“It’s especially disappointing because we gave ourselves every opportunity to win that and we didn’t.
“We left a lot of points out there so it was pretty frustrating across the whole board.”
Despite the ghastly error count, the Waratahs outside backs – Horne, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau and Kurtley Beale – looked dangerous throughout and prised the Blues defence open on numerous occasions.
“But the ball handling really let us down,” Phipps said.
“More so people trying too hard. Us getting those opportunities down the edges and just throwing a 15 per cent offload.
“If it comes off, it looks great. But if it doesn’t, like it does most of the time, it’s a turnover.
“Obviously we’ve got to tighten that up in the next week before we play the Hurricanes or they’ll make us pay even more.”
Tries either side of halftime to winger Lolagi Visinia and centre Francis Saili and 11 points off the boot of five-eighth Simon Hickey were enough to earn the Blues their eighth win from nine Super Rugby clashes with the Waratahs at Eden Park.
After languishing at the bottom of the New Zealand conference entering the match, the Blues revived their finals hopes with victory, while the Waratahs are now in danger of falling outside the top six.
The Brumbies’ 41-23 dispatch of the defending champion Chiefs in Canberra later on Friday night gave the ACT outfit a six-point advantage over the Waratahs.
Phipps, though, said one loose display wouldn’t discourage the Waratahs from persisting with their attack-minded approach.
“Our backline was going forward and making a lot of breaks. It was really good to see,” he said.
“Moving forward, if we can just hold onto the ball. Often when we’re making those breaks, if we can string two more phases together, we’re going to score anyway.
“That will be pretty well highlighted in the meetings during the week and we’re going to have a good hard look at ourselves.”
Bakkies
Guest
EJ what's being a niche sport got to do with the Tahs administration being incomptetent.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Eagle Jack if you think that then you have already missed what is going on in the Tahs. They did not dominate the scrums in my book and rarely competed on the Blues lineout, the blues problem was the throw in not their competition. Stop reading stats and start watching what is going on. It ain't good if you are a Tahs supporter. Seen it all before.
stillmatic1
Guest
im sorry dutchamn, unless every backline player can match 4 runs for 180 odd metres then they have had a shocker. if the badger of all players can do it, then everyone can and must............... those are the standards not the paltry ones you have posted (sic)
Johnny Boy Jnr
Guest
Beale's egotistic sideways running is killing the team's finals chances & he should be booted from Moore Park to his favourite Kings Cross haunts He's a much better drunk than a team player.
The old man of rugby
Guest
Beale not a team player. Blames others for his mistakes. Sad to see,.
Chan Wee
Guest
@Who Needs Melon : serious question. would u put beale at 15 and folau at 13?
eagleJack
Guest
Tahs apologists or Rugby Union apologists??? The game is a niche sport in Australia. We all know that. This article simply highlights that. While the NRL and AFL get billion dollar TV deals, the ARU force clubs to fork out their own cash to compete in local comps. With the A-League going from strength to strength I wonder how may years it is before we start to see a significant drop in standard at the top level. Kids growing up will go towards the money. Rugby no longer has that....
eagleJack
Guest
Tahs were dominant in the scrum. And won the lineouts 94% to 77%. Stopped reading your post after that..... The Tahs pick up their handling, patience and execution and they win games. The rest of their game is going well.
eagleJack
Guest
Jilted lover? Not sure what that means. Im hearing during a drunken lunch the Tahs were thinking about hiring Richard Graham as coach. Thankfully they decided against the 9th bottle of red and came to their senses...
stillmissit
Roar Guru
It is screamingly obvious that the Tahs forwards do not want to compete at the breakdown, lineout or the scrum and the defence prefers to sit back and catch fish in their umbrella structure. This is a sign of laziness by a few ie Dave Dennis and the perennial work side stepper Robinson. Then TPN where was he? One of the great workers was on go-slow and Kane Douglas spent much of the game 'almost' making the breakdown. Folau has fallen into the cauldron of failure that engulfs the Tahs every year. WHAT is it with Phipps? He is the worst half back in Australia yet Chicka wont bring on McKibbon earlier and it is obvious to all and sundry that the team goes better with McKibbon. At 63 mins I said to the missus 'watch Phipps lose this one' as he sat at the back waiting for the inevitable counter ruck. I am starting to think that Chicka has no idea about who works and who doesn't.
Louie
Guest
25 times? The problem is he gets too involved. I agree with the earlier guru...uncoachable. I can't see the coach instructing him to go in and grab the ball every third play. Agree also either play him at 10 or as his preferred impact capacity, last 20 from the bench, if we are behind. I would also like to see Horne at 11, bit more direct in Ctr field, he's not a 14 and is wasted there.
Dally M
Guest
So many factual errors in that article it's not even funny. I expected to see Phil Rothfields name attached to it!
optimistic
Guest
Let's make that two of us then, WNM. Read your stats and re-watched. KB may well be better on the wing.
Bakkies
Guest
That article paints an awful picture. No doubt the tahs apologists will deny it.
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
Even the seasoned players like Horne threw common sense out the window. When the Tahs click they will be a dangerous team but its unlocking that 100% game door which must be annoying the hell out of Cheika.
frustrated tah supporter in Brumbie land
Guest
Ma a Nonu, although he has had his fair share of ''off field incidents'', on field he is one of the best inside backs in the game. He took control and guided the Blues home. The Waratahs sorely lack a general in either the 9-10-12 positions with dumb options taken. Matt Tamoua or Christian Leafarno are off contract at the end of the year, maybe the tahs need to make a play for them as the current lot don't appear to have the skills or the brain power for the job. I listened to Foley before the game say how the tahs will tighen up their ball security yet they played like headless chooks. They come out with this dribble every week and don't learn from their mistakes. The countless times this team finds ways to turn over good ball in the opposition 22 is under 10's stuff. With teams now employing a rush defense against the tahs, cool heads are required with you'd think a plan b to combat this. No not the tahs. Honey moon is over coach, whey did you get rid of Alan Gaffney off your coaching team and employ Nathan Grey this year. Some tahs players appear not to be understanding their roles in the team or is it ego taking over. Who is supposed to be first receiver. KB is in there a lot. He is either crabs across the park, double pumps passes to players in a worse position or gets smashed and turned over. KB is certainly an x factor in broken play only. I give credit where it is due he is trying however he cannot play first receiver, not even second receiver, just please please play as a running back or parking him on the bench. Top two is a long way off and with a tough run home they will be lucky to make the finals.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Agree. I'm a Tahs fan but it is the media that has a beat up every season. We go hoping for a win each game but we are used to how the games pan out. prior to their demise I was also a North Sydney fan.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
Hi Jez, EJ, MD and bennalong, Still stand by my comments because the firepower unleashed, still sheathed says something is wrong. I cannot recall a sustained set of phases this season when the 'Tahs overwhelmed a struggling but determined opposition with clinical 'in your face' Rugby aggression making the match statement. All those handling errors also indicate that there is no deep held belief of personal responsibility for possession. The 'Tahs are capable of so very much more than they are showing and for that hard questions must be answered. Start at the top and work down. We are all in the game of preparing test players, if not... Hoops to captain for sure Jez, he must be readied for the test season, the job should be his. True EJ, a bit hyperbolic but still,... a kernel of truth?
Who Needs Melon
Guest
Yeah, you're right. He was pretty bad too, wasn't he? I remember at least one time he left the ball in the back if a ruck too long and the Blues got bored and decided to push the Tahs all backwards. Mark the date: this day someone on the internet, me, decided to admit they were wrong. :)
Hopperdoggy
Guest
I suspect that Izzy out for 4 of the last 5 was a big reason for the difference. The rest of it poor patience and execution. They are doing the work to create the tries, just a catch, pass or 1 more phase set (instead of throwing a Hail Mary) away from finishing.