The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Put Phipps out to pasture

27th May, 2018
Advertisement
Nick Phipps. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Expert
27th May, 2018
154
5272 Reads

Vastly experienced Waratah halfback Nick Phipps was directly involved in two superb tries against the Chiefs last night that gave the men in blue a 14-nil lead in the first 13 minutes.

But the other Phipps, the one who is a pain in the butt to watch, surfaced twice to gift the Chiefs two tries – the first by box kicking out on the full, the second by not being in position with the ball just sitting there from a ruck ten metres from the Waratahs’ try line.

Those two mistakes saw the Chiefs lead 19-14 at the break, and ultimately led to a 39-27 victory for the home side.

There’s no way the Chiefs were a 12-point better side, sometimes there’s no justice in a result.

The killer was a forward pass ruled by referee Glen Jackson early in the second half.

Kurtley Beale had delivered a long pass left to Will Miller who dived over untouched for a try that would have given the Waratahs the lead.

It wasn’t forward, but a rare mistake by the ref who had a good game last night.

Jackson awarded a penalty that Bernard Foley converted instead, but the four points difference was telling at the time.

Advertisement

The Waratahs are a strange side. They can play such scintillating rugby that makes you get off the sofa to applaud, then make mistakes you would take an under-ten side to task.

For example, the Chiefs owned 61 per cent possession for the game and 57 per cent territory while goalkicker Damian McKenzie missed three of six conversions.

Yet he was my man of the match dominating all over the park by crossing for two tries, the last after the final hooter that gave the Chiefs a bonus point while costing the Waratahs one.

The Waratahs can look at Phipps’ telling mistakes plus 19 turnovers and 33 missed tackles.

Sure the game was played at a cracking pace, but missing 33 tackles was just asking for trouble.

Yet Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Cameron Clark and Michael Hooper can be saluted for their tireless efforts.

I really like the look of Clark, a convert from the Sevens to thoroughly out-play the other Waratah winger Taqele Naiyaravoro, who had a night he’d rather forget.

Advertisement

He was one of ten Wallabies in the Waratahs’ starting line-up last night that is now only one point ahead of the Rebels on the Australian Conference ladder.

The Waratahs have the Reds to play away before the June international window, to finish the Super Rugby draw with the Rebels away, plus the Sunwolves and the Brumbies both at home.

The Rebels have the Blues away, then the Waratahs away, finishing with the Reds and Highlanders at home.

The Waratahs should end up on top to automatically qualify for the playoffs, but they won’t if Nick Phipps is there.

close