Despite an inspirational game by captain and halfback Jake Gordon, the NSW Waratahs have gone down 51-27 to the Chiefs at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Friday night.
The Chiefs played typically ‘Kiwi’ rugby – clinical, skilful, smart and fast. Winger Jonah Lowe scored four tries; the other winger, Quinn Tupaea, scored two.
And the Waratahs? They were bang out of luck.
In the first minute, the form front-rower was sent off. The hooker was injured in the third minute. The outside centre was yellow-carded in the 13th. And the fullback was run over by a winger and carried off in the 38th.
Yet with seconds to go in the first period, NSW Waratahs flanker Charlie Gamble ran straight into a pair of defenders and bumped them both off before dashing into space and putting Alex Newsome away for a try.
Tane Edmed drilled the conversion from the sideline and somehow, despite possession running 70 per cent to a team from New Zealand, the Waratahs were down just 30-17.
And they did it without Angus Bell (sent off for a lifting tackle) and Jamie Roberts, who spent 10 minutes in the bin for a deliberate knock-down. Dave Porecki was concussed and Will Harrison badly twisted his knee when bravely trying to stop tearaway wing Tupaea.
“It was a tough start with the red card and the yellow card,” youngster Tane Edmed said at half-time.
“But I think we consolidated really well … the Chiefs are just very clinical. And they take every single opportunity.
“You saw there they punished us when we had the cards … we’ve got to minimise their opportunities and maximise ours.”
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman said it wasn’t an ideal start; but after watching the Chiefs score four very fine tries in the first half, if his side went try-for-try with their opponents in the second he’d be proud of them.
“I just want them to rip in. I don’t want them to throw in the towel. This isn’t 2021. We’re a different team now.” Coleman said.
“We’ve had our setbacks but we’re going to stay in the fight. We’re back to 15; there’s no excuse. We want to win this second half.”
Alex Nankivell of the Chiefs runs with the ball. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
They did not – though they did get to within three points.
With uncontested scrums (Tom Horton went off, too), the Waratahs brought on mobile backrower Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco to replace the replacement prop.
Gordon nailed his second try when he ran a fine angle in defence and beautifully anticipated Bryn Gatland’s pass, intercepted and ran 50 metres. And it was suddenly a three-point game.
When Gordon swooped on some sloppy Chiefs ruck ball and ripped off a 50-22 on the fly, all the momentum was with the Tahs.
Yet a poorly executed rolling maul from the resultant lineout was followed by a terrible attempted cut-out pass by Roberts that was intercepted by Lowe, who didn’t need to anticipate the pass so much as stand in the Tahs’ backline, catch the ball and run the other way.
Gordon was everywhere for the men in blue. Two tries, a chargedown – he even threw the ball into the lineout. Yet when Lowe rumbled over for his hat-trick after a tidy, simple backline play, the Chiefs led by 17 points with ten minutes to play.
Then they took Gordon off.
When Lowe notched his fourth and Gatland landed the conversion, the Chiefs passed the half century.
“Really proud of the boys,” Chiefs captain Sam Cane told Stan Sport following the match.
“The Waratahs put themselves under pressure, down to 13 men early and we did the basics well and came away with points. We were pretty clinical.
“The Waratahs defended extremely well. We expected them to.
“It was always going to be tough for them when they lost both their hookers. The scrums were like golden oldies.”
Gordon said he wasn’t sure what to make of the game.
“Discipline hurt us. Losing ‘Belly’, who is a big part of our game, the yellow card, losing both hookers … we’re pretty disappointed.
“We’re trying to be ‘Tah tough’ at the moment. We’re really disappointed with the result. We clawed our way back. They scored 20 points with two men off the field.
“We looked good when we had the ball. We challenged them around the ruck. WE just didn’t do it for long enough.”
Phil
Roar Rookie
Yeah I saw those too! There are so many rugby experts pumping him up as a Test player but he’s not even offering much at SR level, definitely not at 13. And I think he’s not as quick as he used to be when he was a winger.
Dean
Roar Rookie
Jacko, you were close in your assessment. It was a Chiefs player that tipped Cane onto his head however, you got the position incorrect. It was actually the Prop Angus Ta'avao that did it. Bell's card has been wiped from his record and the tackle did not meet the Red Card threshold. My only issue with the ruling by the refs was the zero consideration for mitigating circumstances in relation to the tackle, of which Ta'avao was an inadvertent but key element in Cane's landing.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
Really impressed by Jonah Lowe and his 4 tries in this game. An excellent finisher and yet another impressive wing from New Zealand. Alex Nankivell is another who impresses week after week. AB time for him? As for the Tahs, well they did cut the lead to 30-27 then Lowe intercepted a pass for a try, next thing you know it was 51-27. The Waratahs will have a chance against the Highlanders and be favoured against Moana Pasifika but the other 4 Kiwi teams are just on another level.
james
Guest
Please can we ban the word "unlucky" when related to anything to do with an Aus team losing? A team makes its own luck and, frequently the word "unlucky" can be replaced by: crap handling, rubbish passing, weak scrum, awful lineout or dumb tactics. "Unlucky" is simply an excuse.
Dally M
Roar Rookie
How many did they win before Horton went off? I know the end result was 6 each but that included the uncontested in the 2nd half.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
It doesnt matter how any of us see it in the end its out of our hands and with the "Chat" I can see why its not up to us. :laughing: :laughing:
piru
Roar Rookie
No way was it 10k 8 at most
piru
Roar Rookie
The same would probably happen in Perth, with the exception of Force games. Just a weird choice I thought.
Tez
Roar Rookie
Good comment James, I have no issue with the cards but gee what sort of game could it have been without them. Plus, losing your two hookers does not help. Yeah it blew out in the final 15 minutes but the Tahs were out of gas.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Steve Thompson nails it “I just want things to change. Rugby needs to understand the problem and stop lying about it." We have to demonstrate we are doing all we can or we’ll spend the next decade in court
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I thought the rules stated that any likely concussion I.e. a solid knock to the head and it’s mandatory rest whilst a formal HIA takes place. As much as it hurts to admit, I’ve been wrong before though
Geoff Parkes
Expert
The current situation seems to be, a trainer comes on, asks the player if he's ok, and if he's not convinced he pulls him off (probably could have worded that better!), and if he is convinced, then he stays on. And they are calling that a 'check' or even mistakenly, a 'test'. It's not. The actual test is a process that happens under the stands. It's like this thing has been allowed to creep in where there is an initial on field 'test' or assessment, to determine if the player needs an actual test. Which is unsatisfactory imo.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
That’s what the team doctor and independent doctor are for. Players do pass on field checks at the time (I have personally done this), they can seem fine for 10 to 15 minutes then show symptoms of concussion. The Brumbies 6 did this a few weeks ago.
James584
Roar Rookie
Is the game of rugby union still viable with multiple cards almost every match? The ‘defence of rugby reflex’ is very strong on here, but the reality is a little different. What do borderline and newish fans think of these games where we have 13 and 14 v 15 and an almost inevitable result? I am a lifelong rugby fanatic and it always gives me a sinking feeling when a potentially great game is affected by cards. We have to keep players on the field for all but the most serious offences but also impose serious sanctions at the judiciary. This solution is just so bleedingly obvious.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
It is mitigation certainly and may impact sentencing. I can’t comment on whether it might help his case. My view of his actions were pretty damning
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Is the tip tackle 6 weeks like a head high shot? I don’t know and aren’t suggesting one is worse than the other but one size fits all is BS
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
The players can’t be trusted with the decision. Forceful contact to the head and it is our (well, the game’s) responsibility to enforce HIA protocols. Of course Cane said he was fine, as did HJH. And they possibly were. But if they weren’t and we listened to them as we did, in 10 years time when they show signs of CTE, they have the basis for a law suit. You knew the risks and you let me stay out there without insisting on checking me. The players are not, can not, be the arbiters of the state of their head after a knock. There is a protocol; it must be followed
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Fancy that eh. NSW running out of hookers....
The Late News
Roar Rookie
That's exactly what I meant Olly!
Olly
Roar Rookie
:laughing: unfortunately I think the real pain is about to come this weekend…