Rallying to captain Bernard Foley’s halftime exhortations, the opportunistic NSW Waratahs have launched remarkable second half comeback to beat the Highlanders 30-23 in their Super Rugby quarter-final.
The Tahs, who finished Saturday night’s game at Allianz Stadium with 14 men, led 6-3 early on but conceded 20 unanswered points to trail 23-6 at the break.
‘We spoke about it at halftime: ‘let’s not have any regrets at the end of his game, let’s put it all out there and see how it falls’ and the guys really did that,” Foley said.
NSW piled on three tries and 21 points after Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo was sent to the bin and scored all 24 points after the break.
Their backline big guns fired, with five-eighth Foley scoring two tries and fullback Israel Folau one, and centre Kurtley Beale setting up two and Folau the other.
A penalty to Foley, who scored a personal-best Super Rugby 25 points, expanded the home team’s lead to seven with 10 minutes to go.
The Tahs then had to play the last six minutes with 14 men after prop Paddy Ryan was sin-binned when he was caught offside after Highlanders forward Shannon Frizell grounded the ball just short of the line.
They hung on with some desperate defence to clinch a semi-final spot.
“As much as we laud our attack, our defence won us the game,” Tahs’ coach Daryl Gibson said.
“I thought we were poor in the first half, we lost four lineouts and we couldn’t get any possession, we couldnt hang on to anything, we couldn’t string any phases together, we were getting behind in the penalty count.
“On balance we played very poorly and we still won the game, so it shows we’re a good side.’
“I said to the boys at halftime all we needed was to sort our ruck out.
“I thought the Highlanders were doing an excellent job there and we just needed some possession at the right end of the field and we got that.”
Naholo was binned after two high tackles in a few seconds on Tahs prop Sekope Kepu as he tried to stop a barnstorming run from the Wallabies front-rower.
In the first half everything seemed to be going wrong for the Tahs after a promising start.
Discipline was an issue in the half along with poor defensive reads and line speed, and the failure to sustain pressure when in possession.
Naholo went over for the first try after centre Curtis Rona rushed out of the line.
Centre Rob Thompson sliced through a hole for the visitors second try.
Highlanders’ coach Aaron Mauger said his team played the first half exactly how he had wanted.
“We wanted to hold the ball and put them under pressure,’ Mauger said.
“Obviously the Waratahs are a class attacking side and we knew that and I thought we deprived them of those opportunities in the first half.
‘We couldn’t quite execute those things in the second half and they put us under pressure with their game.”
Waratahs forwards Michael Wells and Rob Simmons will both be subjected to the protocol for head knocks over the next week.
Reality Check
Guest
Eagle Jack pops up when the Tahs have a good half of Rugby and Foley plays well, otherwise he is nowhere to be found most of the time. Eagle Jack you conveniently forget it that was a Super Rugby game Foley played well in, Foley fails in test match rugby all the time. They are different beasts. Foley is not a test flyhalf.
No Chance
Guest
You`re right Kirky. Foley is the best 10 in the southern hemisphere.
Fionn
Guest
I could predict you'd say that Beale hasn't been the superior player, Riddler. Yeah, I sort of do want virtually any of the other main options, yeah. I've seen him play enough, seen his limitations and his ceiling, and I just don't think he's good enough. Cheers.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
'OK Mr Hunters! Why did Sonny Bill get six weeks for doing exactly the same ‘no arms shoulder charge’ that your guy did!! ~ Rules for some and rules for others mate!' This really isn't hard, Kirky. SBW's shoulder connected with the head of the Lions player. Admittedly, it wasn't as bad as the connection made by Tu'ungafasi in the French test, but was still a red card all day. The Tahs player did not connect with Sopoaga's head, just his chest. It is possible to read the laws of the game through google and even watch replays on YouTube - the internet could be your friend, Kirky.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Interesting discussion of Foley v Beale. Ultimately these guys are playing together every time we see them and they have a fantastic partnership. I dream back to glorious tries like the one that chucked Eng out of their home world cup. For me, with the players available, I see no reason to break it up
Soapit
Guest
Everybody on here presents their opinion as reality (just like most discussions in the real world). Some dont seem to be able to do it without insulting the people putting forward an alternate reality to their own.
riddler
Guest
he did about 3 on squires.. running straight at him.. giving away 25kgs and 5 inches.. not bad for a lightweight? the guy tackles well.. he might miss a few but he always gives it 100%.. never goes high nor shirks it..
riddler
Guest
one tcarry jez i was thinking, oh here we go he will be too high and get pushed backward and slow the ball down.. he actually made like 4 or 5 metres, great leg drive and gave the tahs quick ball .. i was up and jumping about for the lad!!
riddler
Guest
the piggies were completely outclassed in the first 50min.. as usual people will look at the backs.. but the piggies won't even there.. and rona was a liability in first 50..
riddler
Guest
fionn.. i call you out on your comment that beale has been the far superior player in 2018.. in my opinion that is not correct. they both are playing well.. good games, solid games, beale has a bad game.. goes missing and goes high and misses tackles.. foley has been solid or good all season.. you dislike of foley is like others... not letting you see reality.. you might not like to admit but you were talking up lance last year for foley.. then cll... now beale and toomau.. you want anyone but him..
riddler
Guest
foley did the same of a misread landers lineout.. got there and grubbed it through.. game changing moments... vision and speed to get there and capitalise..
riddler
Guest
i am the opposite of trump.. dislike the guy immensely.. a few people on here are like.. claiming false opinions as reality and facts..
riddler
Guest
spot on reverse.. i have watche dit again.. against the run of play.. nobody behind him.. kick was on downtown as they had 14 and just defended on their line for 5mins... he had a very good game..
Clifto
Guest
Yes that was a critical tackle. Don't think Foley is given enough credit for his defence
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
A Smith talks too much to the ref out of turn. Elliot Dixon has form as a thug.(One of Pocock’s head huggers). But Ben Smith? All class. Gentleman. The sort of grace you’d want your kids to emulate. Sopoaga and B Smith struggled to contain their disappointment last night, but to their credit they did, and were gracious to their opponents. Well played gents.
Ozinsa
Guest
I read a string of posts prior to the Canes Chiefs match from sanctimonious Kiwi posters declaring the thread a sook free zone as there would be no Oz whinging about refs. And now we’ve had to listen to a string of whines about how Gardiner gave the Tahs a leg up. Isn’t it time we all either gave up moaning about refs (bloody unlikely) or stopped assuming the worst of others based on who they support and accepted we’re all prone to a whinge when we lose. If the Kiwi sides had lost as often as Oz sides in the last few years, I suspect things would be the same but the other way around.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Are you talking about Hanigan? He got penalised but it certainly wasn't a shoulder charge to the head like SBW. Maybe you are mixing this one up with Sam Cane's effort that put a bloke in hospital?
jeznez
Roar Guru
seen similar reading articles this morning - think we are a mighty long shot to make it given the Lions kept us to nil last time.
TomTom
Guest
Yep. The kiwis are always hanging around around the ruck, and loitering behind the halfback to slow the play down. Would be great if the refs started sending them off.
TomTom
Guest
Phipps should've actually turned the tide just before half-time when he dived on a loose ball to turn over possession with the Tahs earning a line out 5m from the Highlanders tryline. An errant throw-in made half the fans trash their TVs. Thankfully, the next time Phipps dived on a loose ball, they managed to convert it into a try.