- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
There’s no truth in the rumour Michael Cheika was seen at Mascot heavily disguised with hat, thick sunglasses, heavy beard and trench coat waiting to board a plane for Monaco.
The Wallabies’ coach is made of much sterner stuff than that, despite the fact the five Australian Super Rugby franchises have yet to win a game in 11 this season against their New Zealand counterparts.
Apart from the Reds being stitched 22-20 with an extra-time penalty by the Crusaders, the Crusaders holding out 17-13 against the Brumbies, and a late try by the Highlanders to down the Brumbies 18-13, the rest of the results in the trans-Tasman clashes have been one-way traffic with more like cricket scores.
The Blues have beaten the Rebels 50-18 scoring seven tries to three, and the Force 24-15 with four tries to two.
The Hurricanes have crushed the Rebels 71.6 crossing for 11 unanswered tries, and beat the Reds 34-15, scoring five tries to two.
The Chiefs beat the Rebels 27-14, with four tries to one.
The Highlanders crept home 18-13 over the Brumbies, scoring two tries to one, and romped home 51-12 over the Rebels with seven tries to two.
And the Crusaders beat the Brumbies 17-13 in the tournament opener, scoring three tries to one, crept home 22-20 over the Reds, with three tries to two, thumped the Force 45-17, scoring seven tries to two, and the Waratahs 41-22 with six tries to three.
Overall, the totals are an embarrassment with the New Zealand franchises amassing 400 points to just 165, and scoring 59 tries to 19.
Last night at Allianz Stadium the woeful, wobbly, wasteful, wimpy, or wanton Waratahs – take your pick for a description – joined the vanquished Australian sides despite boasting ten Wallabies in the 23 with Bernard Foley and Rob Horne out injured.
Where does the blame rest – skipper Michael Hooper, coach Daryl Gibson, or a roster that doesn’t have the necessary pride and passion required to pull on the famous Waratah jersey?
A smattering of all three alternatives would be a fair assessment.
For a very well paid roster of 30, the Waratahs’ grip of rugby basics in pass, catch, support, retention, and tackle are sadly lacking.
Let’s start with defence and depending on what set of stats you want to believe, missed tackles ranged from 34 to 47 – both excessive.
ESPN is the most reliable with 34, with the Waratah backs the worst offenders with 20, led by debutant fly-half Mack Watson with six, David Horwitx four, bench half Nick Phipps three, Jake Gordon, Israel Folau, and Reece Robinson shared two, and giant bench winger Taqele Naiyaravero missing one tackle.
Little wonder the unbeaten Crusaders ran in six tries to three to take their career successes over the Waratahs to 19 wins and five losses.
A telling stat last night was the runs, with the Crusaders making 131 to 101.
But the Crusaders turned their runs into 697 metres to the Waratahs’ 345.
With the Crusaders owning 53 per cent possession, and 57 per cent territory, the seven times premiers should have converted those stats into more points.
Next Friday will be a short turnaround for the Waratahs when they take on the Hurricanes away. That may be a blessing in disguise with just a few days to stew over last night, and their record this season of just twp wins and four losses.
But if the Waratahs don’t pass, catch, support, retain possession, and tackle against the Hurricanes, a cricket score is on the cards.
Time for some good old fashion pride and passion to surface.