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A brilliant second-half midfield bust by Kurtley Beale, and an intercept from Bernard Foley, saw the Waratahs home 31-26 over the Rebels last night at AAMI Stadium.
In a crackerjack game of rugby between the Australian Conference’s two top teams, the Rebels did everything right but win.
The Waratahs literally pinched the victory from the Rebels’ grasp.
The Waratahs led 17-10 at the break thanks to runaway train Taqele Naiyaravoro’s 12th try of the season to equal Israel Folau’s season record.
And who sent him on his way?
Kurtley Beale.
Kurtley Beale (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Will Miler, wearing injured Michael Hooper’s number seven jersey, scored the second, but it was fullback Dane Haylett-Petty’s try in between for the Rebels when he chimed into the backilne that was all class.
Rugby at its best.
But for some unaccountable reason, the Waratahs played the first 25 minutes of the second half as though they were on severe doses of valium.
The Rebel stormed to a 27-17 lead by hitting the Waratahs with the kitchen sink – and some.
It was exciting rugby for everyone bar the Waratahs, and their supporters.
There was no way the Waratahs looked like retaliating as they did back in March at Allianz when they piled on 41 second-half points against the Rebels, that included six tries, to win 51-27.
But the Rebels couldn’t keep Beale and Foley quiet for 40 minutes.
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The Beale bust led to Ned Hanigan’s bulldozing try, while nobody got within cooee of Foley’s 45 metres intercept to touch done under the black dot.
The 14 points in a hurry gave the under-the-pump Waratahs their match-winning lead, but there was plenty of drama yet to surface.
Stung by the sudden Waratah revival, the Rebels again ripped into the Waratahs who had to defend like grim death to survive.
Survive they did or five tense minutes, but it took tons of courage to take a handy four-point Australian Conference lead into the final two rounds before the play-offs.
But how on earth did the Rebels lose?
They ran 605 metres to 385 with Rebel forwards Amanaki Mafi and Matt Philip both covering 97 metres, and their backs Jack Maddocks 83. and Haylett-Petty 54, compared to the Waratahs’ top four – all backs – with Beale 75, Foley 66, Curtis Rona 54, and Naiyaravoro 45.
Curtis Rona of Waratahs. (Photo by Gabriel Rossi/Getty Images)
If those stats weren’t enough the Rebels beat 31 defenders to 17, forced the Waratahs to make 160 tackles to just 99, and won the rucks 117 to 75.
The Rebels owned 57 per cent possession, and the only anti stat were the Rebels 20 turnovers to 11.
The game was indebted to former Reds halfback Nic Berry who refereed both sides evenly, which sure was a pleasant change from the last three weeks.
The penalty count was 13-8 against the Waratahs, which was purely due to the Waratahs giving away far too many bone-headed penalties that very nearly cost them the game.
With all the talent they’ve got, if the Waratahs ever get their act together for 80 minutes, they can still make a genuine noise in this tournament.
But that’s never going to happen, so Waratahs supporters should just enjoy a win against the play.