Australia’s Super Rugby drought continues after the NSW Waratahs crashed to a 24-21 loss to the lowly Blues in Sydney.
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Not even the return of an inspired Israel Folau could save the Waratahs from suffering a 38th straight defeat for Australian teams against New Zealand opposition in Super Rugby.
Topping the Australian conference and up against the cellar dwellers from the New Zealand conference, the Waratahs had been well fancied to snap the near-two-year run of losses in trans-Tasman encounters.
The Blues had won just two of their nine matches in 2018 to be all but out of finals contention.
But they arrived at Brookvale Oval on Saturday seemingly intent on not being the first Kiwi outfit since May 27, 2016, to succumb to an Australian franchise.
Despite enjoying 75 per cent of territory and the lion’s share of possession, the Waratahs were never in front.
Probing desperately for the match winner, the Tahs peppered the Blues line in the final few minutes only for Folau to be unable to reel in Kurtley Beale’s cross-field kick as a try beckoned.
Unfortunately for Paddy Ryan in his 100th Super Rugby game, the front-rower spilt the ball on the last play of the match as the Waratahs let slip a golden opportunity to break their own seven-match losing run against New Zealand rivals.
Folau was making his comeback after five weeks out with a hamstring injury and threatened the Blues virtually every time he touched the ball.
Alas, the Waratahs played catch-up all night after handing the Blues a 10-point start.
Beale turned over possession five metres from his own line in the opening minutes and the Blues quickly spread the ball left for Rieko Ioane to crash over.
Stephen Perofeta’s conversion made it 7-0 and only an incredible try-saving tackle from Waratahs winger Cam Clark on the runaway Ioane prevented the Blues doubling their advantage.
A Perofeta penalty shot the visitors out to 10-0 before the Waratahs finally gained a foothold into the match after the 24th-minute sin-binning of Blues flanker Dalton Papalii for a high tackle on the seemingly try-bound Clark.
From the ensuing lineout win, Waratahs hooker Damien Fitzpatrick cashed in a Waratahs driving maul and Bernard Foley’s conversion reduced the deficit to three points.
Despite being a man down, though, the Blues continued to stretch the Waratahs defence and man-of-the-match Ioane’s midfield break set up a five-pointer to winger Tumua Manu.
Sekope Kepu gave the Waratahs renewed hope heading to halftime when he dived over in the corner to leave Daryl Gibson’s side trailing 18-14 at the break.
But two more Perofeta penalties restored the Blues’ 10-point buffer, with Michael Hooper’s try under the posts off a lovely inside pass from Beale with eight minutes remaining enough to save the Waratahs.
AlBo
Guest
I love your strategy. Give Australia less money and drive it further into the ground here so NZ solely rely on domestic competition to retain players. A domestic competition in Australia would hurt NZ more than it would Australia, financially.
Dave_S
Guest
If Martians only have one eye there might not be much difference ;)
Dave_S
Guest
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Realist
Guest
Hahahaha Malo, You’ve been mouthing off about how great your beloved Tahs are all week yet they showed their lack of class when it counts (along with Sydney journos and fans of your standing). The Kiwis are a class above that is a fact. The Tahs leading a worthless conference will most likely be short lived ! Back to stacking the shelves fella *
Adsa
Guest
Good to see you perky after the win Tman, I was going for Auckland.
soapit
Guest
ah yes seems i did. sorry about that. im finally up to speed. really did seem like a weird response to what i wrote (because it wasnt)
soapit
Guest
mate david lord writing something bears no relevance to any thing like reality. was anyone else joining in or where there any other articles?
Ben
Guest
Hmmmm..are you mistaking me for Tama....???
jeznez
Roar Guru
Good comments - tamaolevao. Agree a scrum at the death would have been a better option and Ioane did butcher two tries - the first one where he gave away the penalty for having a second go he had a bloke on his shoulder the entire run. I think Clark - was a shocker not to use him.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Reds will match up well against that Blues team. That should be a good game of rugby.
Nobody
Guest
Ignoring all that we thought we knew, they were two evenly-matched teams. Close game. Scrums started equal, but the Blues gained a little dominance there by the end. Folau was Tahs' best player; I couldn't understand why near the end of the game the Tahs decided to abandon their brilliant kick-off strategy where Folau was managing to win the ball back every time. How did it suddenly become too risky to continue with, when the Tahs were still behind? Did I miss something?
Mr Hollywood
Guest
I am unsure what is worse: having Rugby Tragic too as your mentor or having your brain zapped by Martians.
moaman
Guest
Chook How about those two passes (between Folau and Foley aka the two 'ffs' ) that led to Ioane's early try? Keystone Kop stuff when you can't pass to a man 2-3 metres away with bouncing it!
soapit
Guest
hmm not as good as i thought but promising signs, not sure going forward either https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/05/03/world-series-rugby-foxtel-channel-seven
soapit
Guest
well you mentioned the scrum lottery so it seems like you are making some kind of attempt at discussing my comment but signs are that this is going to be a lot of work so will bow out.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Yep. But i couldn't look away. I think a more appropriate headline though would be "Waratahs beat Waratahs at Brookvale"
John R
Roar Guru
Really please to see Ledesma get that team going well. As Cheika put it at the time: "Now we're giving a gift back because Mario Ledesma is a good man, he's a great coach. I'm sad that he's leaving, personally as his friend and from a rugby point of view."
Fionn
Guest
I'd rather win playing like we did until 04, but I'd take what we were like from 2012-15 second :) . I hadn't heard that. Sad about Naisarani, but really hoping to see Valetini and Pocock back. Really want to see those three playing together at some point this season. I'll be there. Although I'm exceedingly worried about what we will see.
Fionn
Guest
Good point.
Ben
Guest
Scrums can be a lottery...the lineout proved to be the right option...they won. Nice try.....buddy...