The hellish Super Rugby campaign of the NSW Waratahs continued, as they crashed to a 40-27 home loss to the Jaguares, in the Argentinian team’s first match on Australian soil.
The Jagueres scored five tries to three to at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, ruining the final home appearance of Waratahs stalwarts Dean Mumm and Rob Horne.
It was the 11th straight loss to an overseas team for the Waratahs, who conceded 40 or more points for the fourth time in their past five games.
The Jaguares sauntered to a 25-3 lead by the 33rd minute, scoring three tries.
NSW briefly raised their fans’ hopes with 21 straight points in nine minutes either side of halftime.
But the Jaguares steadied and scored the last two tries of the game.
For the dwindling band of Tahs supporters it was a depressingly familiar story, as their team started slowly, missed tackles, committed skill errors, lacked discipline and too often went sideways rather than straight.
The Waratahs’ problems started almost straight away, as they conceded a penalty after 20 seconds, which gifted the visitors an early 3-0 lead.
Flanker Pablo Matera, centre Matias Orlando and lock Benjamin Macome then crossed for tries to swell the Jasguares’ advantage to 22 points.
in-form fullback Israel Folau started the comeback when he wrestled a Bernard Foley cross-field kick away from Jagueres counterpart Joaquin Tuculet for his sixth try in his last five Super games.
New Zealand referee Ben O’Keefe tired of the persistent infringing, sin-binning both locks, Guido Petti and Macome in the last two minutes of the first half.
With 15 men back on the field in the second half, Jaguares captain Agustin Creevy crashed over from a well executed rolling maul.
Winger Matias Moroni sealed the Argentine side’s win with a great solo effort.
“There were enough positive aspects of our play, however, the reasons we lost are still the reasons we’ve had a poor season,” Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said.
“Our defence conceding 40 points again and the way we started the game with 15 points given up in the first 12 minutes, again makes it very difficult to claw ourselves back into the game.”
Asked how he felt about the Tahs not managing a single win against an overseas team in a season for the first time Gibson said, “We haven’t beaten many teams, that’s worse.”
Both Gibson and captain and openside flanker Michael Hooper felt lock Ned Hanigan was unlucky to be sin-binned for punching in the first half.
Hooper said the team lacked belief in what they were trying to do and were their own worst enemy, only producing their best rugby when they were up against the wall.
Winger Bryce Hegary suffered a hamstring injury and Gibson said he was “touch and go” for next week’s final round game against Western Force in Perth.
piru
Roar Rookie
Andrew Johns on the NSW Origin side: “There were times there where the ball was thrown back inside and we just switched off. You think, ‘Well if the ball goes past you, my job is done.’ You can’t give up. You can’t give up on it in Origin footy and that’s what we have to get the mentality of. “It’s not about set plays and fancy plays. Cooper Cronk spoke about will and desire. That’s what wins these games. “I looked at the teams on paper before and I think NSW, on paper, had a much stronger team. I thought they had a much stronger forward pack but the game isn’t played on paper He could be talking about the Waratahs, is there something in Sydney's water?
piru
Roar Rookie
I really wish I could have afforded to keep that car, when she ran she was a thing of beauty. Actually she always ran, it was stopping that was the issue.
piru
Roar Rookie
DHP has missed several games, yes. I'm just saying don't just look at numbers and think they tell the whole story
Utah
Guest
The narrative I'm trying to project is there's little talent coming through. And you attempt to counter that by saying the U20's only just finished 6th. Good one TWAS.
Jock Cornet
Guest
TWAS you have been saying how great Oz rugby and the state of the ARU has been for the last 5 years. Your an ostrich who has supported overpaid players and ridiculous elitist academies whilst encouraging the destruction if local grade competitions. Your a joke
double agent
Guest
Jack that's the truest thing ever written on here.
double agent
Guest
Yes an XJ12 1977.
double agent
Guest
Kellaway?? What are you smokin?
John
Guest
Timbo... please enlighten us with your percentage breakdown of the great art of fullback play. 15% evidentally is saftey under the highball...85% remaining. Go! If you need a calculator go get one, we have time. Not enough for you to tell us more about Andrew Kellaway being an inimitable talent at 15, but enough for you to count to 100.
Jock Cornet
Guest
The players are well over paid for their skills.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
TWAS, I agree, Israel Fallow is not a 15 in any respect of the game except for Highball security. That is 15% of the role, he doesn't play the other 85%for either the Horrortahs nor the Wallatahs.And this is the part of the on-field chaos that both teams suffer through week by weak. The rest of his attributes are 13/14 recognize it and return to a normal game plan.
John
Guest
Wow, yes! Let's start a discussion about how crap defending stats are a direct result of being in better positions at all times. What is next? Assuming it won't be any discussion on attacking stats, or ability under the high ball, of which DHP let the Wallabies down again during the June series. Putting all of the dribbling spelling and grammar aside, this is next level from Australian Rugby fans. Love it!
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Piru, still doesn't work - Folau made 49 tackels, DHP 23. I can't remember if DHP missed a lot of games, but if not it looks like Folau was there more frequently than DHP.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You could argue that. But with a similar points against for the Tahs, Reds and Force, with such a low attempted tackle number, it doesn't support that. He's attempted almost half the number of tackles Cooper has (31 to 60)
Bakkies
Guest
Did you watch the games?
piru
Roar Rookie
Though TWAS, you could argue (if you wanted to) that those missed tackles meant he was in position to make a tackle in the first place. One of the criticisms levelled at Folau is that he positions himself poorly in defence and is often nowhere to be seen.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Kellaway is a better “15” than Israel Fallow. Not even close.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Serious defensive skills? You are delusional. Quade Cooper is a player widely criticized for being shifted back to 15 on defence, and widely criticized for his defensive ability. He has made 48 tackles and missed 12. That's an 80% success rate across the season. Haylett-Petty a fullback with supposed serious defensive skills has made 23 tackles and missed 9. That's a 72% success rate across the season. Hardly showing "serious defensive skills" it seems. For comparison to other players: Toua has made 19 and missed 4 for 82%. Folau has made 49 and missed 9 for 84%. I'm no fan of Folau defensively, but it seems that no impartial evidence supports your view on Dane Haylett-Petty's defensive prowess.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yep. It's all just a conspiracy against you.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The U20s actually had a decent tournament. They may have finished 6th, but only lost 1 pool game and only by 1 point to defending champs England and the 5/6 play off. Had they held onto the lead in that England game (I think a penalty goal won it), they would have finished the pools 2nd and the tournament at a minimum 4th. That's also before the consider that the SA vs France draw is what stopped Aus from finishing 4th after the pools (Aus on 10pts, France 11 and SA 12). Had there been a result, the loser of SA or France would have finished below Australia. Not exactly anything to write home about but hardly fits into the narrative you are trying to project.