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Waratahs captain Michael Hooper best summed up the 24-21 loss to the Blues at Brookvale last night – “We created a lot of opportunities, and blew them”.
Watching the Waratahs self-destruct so often by butchering rugby’s basics belies the big money they are being paid.
How about fining the Waratahs $10,000 a player every time they lose might just make them aware of what they are doing wrong.
It’s abundantly clear to those who are forced to watch them, that the Waratahs just cannot do the simple things right.
So why are they paid the big bickies?
Take out Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale, and Hooper and the rest couldn’t pass the smell test. The Waratahs were guilty of giving away pointless penalties on attack, turning over good ball, poor passing, poor handling, and over-running support.
How can the Waratahs enjoy 57 per cent possession, and 62 per cent territory, but get beaten?
Turning over possession 20 times to just nine was critical, yet the Waratahs made 17 clean breaks to nine, but missed 25 tackles,
Go figure.
It seems the only way to truly galvanise the Waratahs is for the opposition to score.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Suddenly the Waratahs snap out of their lethargy to trouble the scoreboard, and keep in the game.
Having done that the Waratahs go back into their negative shell and have to play catch-ups again – and so the tit-for-tat cycle continues.
If it wasn’t so serious, it would be laughable.
The biggest disappointment last night in front of a very healthy Brookvale crowd was Waratahs halfback Jake Gordon.
So far this season Gordon has kept Wallaby half Nick Phipps on the Waratahs bench thanks to his swift and accurate service, and his superior support play.
Somehow in the last week Gordon has picked up all of Phipps’ worst habits becoming a cop directing traffic with the ball at his feet, slow service, and helping the referee make decisions.
Enough is enough.
Four times last night the Waratahs won ruck possession with the ball just sitting there in the clear, and no sign of Gordon.
Jake Gordon of Waratahs. (Photo by Gabriel Rossi/Getty Images)
You would think the forwards, or Bernard Foley, would be aware something was wrong.
Not in your life, the Blues just swept through the ruck, took possession, and buzzed off.
Basics, basics, basics.
Despite the loss the Waratahs remain on top of the Australian Conference thanks to the Rebels being hammered by the Crusaders.
But the Waratahs are leading by default.
That result was the 38th successive loss by an Australian franchise to Kiwi sides in Super Rugby.
Bloody hell.
The tragedy is the Waratahs are very capable of playing really exciting and entertaining rugby. Last night it was lost rugby, bordering on pathetic.
Yet the Waratahs are the best Australian side.
That being the case, heaven help the Wallabies if Michael Cheika can’t lift the squad for the three Tests against Ireland in next month.
Cheika could be forgiven for feeling very nervous about the men in green.