Michael Hooper made a triumphant return in NSW Waratahs colours, scoring a try as his team ran out 38-14 victors over ill-disciplined Fijian Drua on Friday night.
The Waratahs weren’t clinical but didn’t need to be, running in three tries in each half against physical, inaccurate, fumbling opponents.
“You can’t win games of footy win you give away red cards, yellow cards and penalties,” Stan Sport caller Sam Wykes said.
“[Drua] showed some really good signs when they scored their [two] tries from turnovers. But that [lack of] discipline and the Waratahs patience was telling.”
“The Waratahs had a ruthless edge,” analyst Drew Mitchell added. “They didn’t allow the Drua to get back into it. They defended really well.
“That’s a big difference in their play from 2022 to 2021 – they’re united as a unit in defence. And that’s really important when you’re coming up against a team that thrives on unstructured rugby like Fijian Drua.
“They were methodical with the ball and ended up blowing the Drua away.”
Following the Drua’s ‘Na Bole’ war dance, the Waratahs ran out onto a CBUS Super Stadium empty on three sides and with Hooper on the bench for the first time in 121 starts.
Early doors and Drua had endeavour, tidy short lineouts, and turnovers. The Waratahs were better. Turnovers, yes, but less of them.
“It’s a matter of getting those combinations right, that timing,” Sam Wykes said. “Hopefully it will improve throughout the game.”
It did – for NSW, anyway.
Michael Hooper of the Waratahs celebrates scoring a try with teammates. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
From a rolling maul 55 metres out on the right hand side, the Waratahs sent the ball through several hands before a grubber by fullback Alex Newsome bounced for Dylan Pietsch who scored his first Super Rugby try in the left corner.
Tane Edmed thumped over the conversion, an exclamation point on a starburst.
Drua hit back when their No.10 Teti Tela picked up a fumbled ball mid-field and found a very good man in the circumstances: Vinaya ‘The Flier’ Habosi, who scorched away down the left, burning Will Harris like a greyhound being pursued by Hulk Hogan.
The Waratahs earned several penalties, one of which saw Drua captain Nemani Nagusa sent off for a high, late shot on Edmed. The No.8 was brought up in Fiji believing the style of defence was “playing rugby”. But not today, not in the pro leagues, and red card was justified.
Charlie Gamble, sporting a moustache that Merv Hughes would think extreme, plundered a try from a rolling maul, followed by many replays as the TMO searched fruitlessly for obstruction.
Minutes later Dave Porecki tossed the ball into a 5-metre lineout and got onto the back of another rolling maul and scored. Newsome hooked the conversion for a half-time score of 17-7.
The second half began with Drua halfback Frank Lomani leaping into the air to take Gamble around the neck, a crazy play for which he was expelled for 10 minutes.
With Lomani barely off the field Jed Holloway barged over through soft Drua shoulders.
Holloway turned provider with a peach of a ball off his hip for Edmed who burst through and found Hooper who went over under the posts for his first Super try since 2019.
As a big man in the crowd played a very small ukulele, Drua brought on No.19 Viliame Rarasea and No.20 Vilive Miramira who ran hard before No.21 Rusiate Nasove scored with his first touch.
Any sniff of a comeback was quashed when Mark Nawaqanitawase scored on the right after a fine charge from the back of the scrum by replacement No.8 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco.
Mo
Guest
I’ve heard that once you’ve had wipers as an adult there’s no going back
Double Agent
Guest
"Next week I heard a whisper" Have you got a time machine? :shocked:
Jacko
Roar Rookie
yeah ex Chiefs boy. he's been moving into coaching for some time now. I hated it when the Chiefs had him as the ref as he always favoured the opposition.... Well thats how it seemed of course!
Jacko
Roar Rookie
I have a 57 Anglia that does about that speed Bobby. I never go on the freeway as its just too dangerous lol.
Rhys
Roar Rookie
It was a real shame about Lucas, he’s a good player. From the trials games I saw, lynagh looked composed and played well. Still very young and raw but in a couple years I think he’ll be capable of playing decent minutes.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Everyone plays the same sides once the cross-ditch matches kick off. Isn’t a bad order to get the games on IMO.
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Jez..wow that is a heavy line up..tahs will be battle hardened after those games..for me the tahs are the most likely to score a lot of points against the kiwis because of the way they attack..
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Rhys..there is something special about gamble..i recall he literally saved a try on his own for the tahs last year against the blues right under the post all alone through a turnover...
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Jacko..drua even has glen Jackson who was a ref as assistant coach...
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Drua seems to struggle against tah boyz over the two games they played each other...the hardest part against the tahs is to defend against their attacking patterns..they simply find ways to open you up....
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Yes the tahs have been very impressive missing some of their first choice players..they have been spoilt for fun at flyhalf position
jeznez
Roar Guru
Surely Twoggy will pay for it. We are playing over there. You thinking Lenny Kravitz, Billy Corgan, Kevin Parker?
Kick n Clap
Guest
Next week I heard a whisper that the Tahs are employing a “One -man-band “to make the watching more entertaining !!
Dean
Roar Rookie
I hope you are correct on the Tom Lynagh front however, I’m fearing another “Son of” yet we lost Carter Gordon and Lucas.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Drua's biggest problem is their lack of discipline.Too often in games do they lose players to the bin.
Dally M
Roar Rookie
Kudo's to the geniuses at CBUs stadium, that decided to fill the only part of the stadium not seen by the TV camera's when the ball was in play. Thought they were playing a COVID match in NZ when I first switched on!
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Just firing up the trusty FB Holden for the trip to the big smoke. Big trip at 35mph on that motorway.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Attack coach???? I told I get too defensive for that. :laughing: :laughing: Wondercoach would probably be a better fit than Byrne. Im never leaving my Penthouse Bobby..... Well not unless the servants come with me.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Think Edmed’s positioning flatters the view of the passing from 9. . Tane likes the ball early and tends to stand quite flat and close to the 9 if he’s receiving directly and intending to play. . His positioning when he copped the highshot and in setting up Holloway’s try both examples of this. . He’s starting to mix it up with a deeper set up that is accompanied by an outside run. His efforts in the lead up to Pietsch and Hooper’s tries emblamatic of that. . I’d like to see him set a little wider, with an in between depth and run a bit squarer – even if just to mix it up with his two default options.
dazell
Roar Rookie
Maybe I am forgetting, getting old. :silly: I just thinks passing has been more consistent and he seems to get rid of the ball a bit quicker. Do you think Grant's kicking is better?