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If the Waratahs were to stand a chance of snapping their hoodoo at Eden Park they had to be absolutely clinical and take their chances.
They didn’t, and they paid the ultimate price as Leon MacDonald’s Blues dumped out Darren Coleman’s side 41-12 in Auckland to progress through to the semi-finals.
Case in point came in the 22nd minute, as winger Dylan Pietsch – one of the Waratahs’ most consistent players – lost the ball in contact as he attempted to put the ball down out wide.
At the time, the Waratahs trailed 7-10 after scoring early first Ned Hanigan. What occurred next was an all too familiar slow-motion car crash at Eden Park as the Australian side went into the sheds trailing 17-7 before conceding another 21 straight points to start the second half as the wheels fell off.
Mark Telea’s second half try put the nail in the coffin as the Blues smashed the Waratahs at Eden Park on June 09, 2023, in Auckland. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The loss summed up the Waratahs’ frustrating year, which barely got going.
Indeed, glimpses of fight throughout matches were coupled with poor execution of core skills.
Two stolen lineout inside the opening 20 minutes were compounded by another two stolen throws in the 56th and 57th minutes from Tolu Latu, while the Waratahs’ scrum struggled with Nephi Leatigaga shifted to tight-head prop after Harry Johnson-Holmes’ syndesmosis injury a week earlier.
Jed Holloway’s fumble in the 66th minute that was picked up by tryscoring machine Mark Telea summed up the Waratahs’ sorry night.
Holloway didn’t sugar coat the Waratahs’ season, which ended at the same point as last year but felt heavier after Coleman’s “top four” ambitions were stated bullishly before the season.
“To be honest, inconsistent,” he said.
“We started really slow, clawed our way back but tapered off towards the end. It’s disappointing. A couple of great men – Hoops [Michael Hooper], Te Tera Faulkner and Tolu Latu – finished their careers at the club and it’s disappointing we sent them out like that.”
Asked what let them down, Holloway hit the nail on the head as the Waratahs’ 12-5 penalty count came back to haunt them.
“Discipline and breakdown,” the Test forward said. “They made a mess of our breakdown and we paid for it and gave them a couple of easy exits through discipline. You can’t do that against a team of the quality that the Blues have.”
Michael Hooper’s Waratahs career is over after the Blues won their quarter-final on Friday night. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Blues skipper Dalton Papalii tipped his hat at the Waratahs by saying they had prepared like their season was on the line.
“They’re a good team,” he said. “It’s such a hard competition and making the quarters is something to be proud of.
“We knew it was going to be a grudge match and for us all week we didn’t want to leave a stone unturned, so the boys prepped well and we knew we were coming up against a good side and had to bring it.”
They might have started shakily, but Papalii’s side showed their ability to punish oppositions by continually breaking the Waratahs’ defence open.
They will almost certainly play the Crusaders in Christchurch in next week’s semi-final, with Scott Robertson’s side to host the Drua on Saturday.
“They’re pretty high,” said Papalii, having been asked how high his emotions were.
“We came in here wanting to get the ‘W’ and go onto next week, so I’m just proud of the boys’ efforts. There’s still work to be done, but I’m pretty happy with that performance.”
The loss came as no surprise. The Waratahs were up against history and a mounting injury toll before heading across the ditch.
Indeed, only once in Super Rugby history had the Waratahs beaten the Blues at Eden Park. Those scars will continue for another year.
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman made some cheeky late changes to his side but it didn’t matter, as the Blues smashed them at Eden Park. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
After Coleman made some “sneaky” late changes to his side by promoting Tane Edmed at fly-half, shifting Ben Donaldson to fullback and Izaia Perese to outside centre and moving Joey Walton one position closer to the action, the Waratahs got off to a flying start.
Perese pounced on a loose ball from a clearing kick and broke away before finding Ned Hanigan who did superbly to reel in the high pass and score. Edmed converted and the Waratahs led 7-0 after five minutes.
The Blues got on the scoreboard when Beauden Barrett landed a simple conversion before Finlay Christie finished off a superb try as the home side went coast to coast by shrugging away some poor defence.
Pietsch had a golden chance to hit back for the Waratahs after a lovely cut out pass from Hanigan, but Barrett and Christie combined to dislodge the ball as the winger was made to pay for not diving early.
The missed chance was a momentum swinger, as the Blues continued to make inroads and eventually score through Nepo Laulala.
Needing to hit back, the Waratahs conceded twice inside the opening 15 minutes of the second. Talea’s runaway try killed off any hopes of the visitors making a comeback.
While Pietsch eventually had his try, touching down from a clever kick from Donaldson in the 70th minute, it was a matter of adding some respectability on the scoreboard.
Harry Plummer’s late penalty was a cruel blow, as the Waratahs’ stay of execution, if only for another minute, was delayed.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.