The Waratahs’ finals hopes are dangling by a thread after being hammered by the ladder-leading Hurricanes 41-12 in Wellington on Friday night.
Four tries inside the opening 26 minutes saw the home side open up a 26-0 lead and the Waratahs were effectively dead and buried at half-time.
Needing to be the first to score in the second half, the Waratahs had their moments but couldn’t find the finishing touch required to make a comeback.
Their hopes of clawing their way back into the match were ended when replacement winger Salesi Rayasi scored the first of two second-half tries in the 60th minute.
While former NRL hopeful Vuate Karawalevu scored with one of his first touches after bursting onto a lovely ball from fellow replacement Tane Edmed, their comeback was short lived as Rayasi scored his second
Playing his 50th Super Rugby match, second-rower Hugh Sinclair got on the scoresheet in the 75th minute but the Hurricanes somehow found their way to the tryline to cross for their seven try as TJ Perenara nabbed his 63rd five-pointer.
Brett Cameron scored early for the Hurricanes during their big win over the Waratahs at Sky Stadium in Wellington. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
The Waratahs were beaten up early, with the visitors being blown away at the scrum to concede possession. It quickly led to the Hurricanes crossing as captain Billy Proctor crossed in the third minute.
The early dominance at the scrum didn’t necessarily continue, but it was through the middle where the Hurricanes went to work.
The home side managed to get over the gain line and their 17 offloads saw them open up the Waratahs, leading to them beating 41 defenders to 15.
“I thought the way they played, the speed at the start of the game, it was hard to stay with,” captain Jake Gordon conceded.
“Up front we knew they were powerful and we really had trouble containing them and they’re a quality team.”
Although Mark Nawaqanitawase and Dylan Pietsch were dangerous when they got the ball in their hands, the Waratahs’ forwards were hammered around the ruck and simply couldn’t stay with the competition leaders.
“It’s a little bit cliché, we do some good stuff and let ourselves down,” Gordon said.
“I thought some of the play late in the second half there were some really good moments but against a quality team like that we’ve got to do it for longer.”
Jake Gordon’s Waratahs have won just two of their ten matches this season. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
After dropping their first match of the year against the Brumbies last weekend in Canberra, Proctor was delighted with his side’s response.
“I guess just bouncing back from last week,” Proctor said.
“We didn’t perform the way that we wanted to and I think we just came out and started the game really strong, which is what we wanted and went a long way to winning this game.”
Asked about the Hurricanes’ strong offloading game, Proctor said his side needed to strike the right balance after errors crept into their game following their explosive opening half-hour.
“That’s just something a part of our game,” the outside centre said.
“We have amazing athletes and the boys have skills that can pull that sort of stuff off, but we’ve just got to find the balance around that because at times we were a little sloppy around that area and we had a few knock-ons, and it could have been a different scoreline if we were a bit smarter around that.”
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After losing their eighth match, Gordon said the Waratahs had to park the defeat quickly as they prepare for a season-defining match against the Brumbies in Sydney next week. Yet, they still remain a mathematical chance of making the finals, with Darren Coleman’s side just three points behind the eighth-placed Highlanders, who on Saturday meet ninth-placed Moana Pasifika in Tonga.
“It’s always a big game playing the Brumbies, especially at home,” Gordon said.
“We’re going to have to review this and review this pretty heavily, but it’s a sprint this competition and we’re going to have to move on pretty quick.”
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Above you, yes.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Sure the irony is you think you're so subtle and above it
Guess
Roar Rookie
So no answer
grs
Roar Rookie
Well, it's a professional sport that a huge number of club players all over Asia Pacific must aspire to play in. And they're not 'representative' teams anyway. As a Wests Bulldogs and QLD Reds supporter... I'm okay with QLD being the nursery of rugby greatness. The irony of stocking the Waratahs would amuse me.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Your right there.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Not remotely surprising you don’t grasp irony
Guess
Roar Rookie
Name first 5 at least against wales England and fiji
Guess
Roar Rookie
Right you decided to use irrelevant game against Uruguay. How about the games they lost?
Guess
Roar Rookie
Can you answer the question first instead of replying with another question?
Guess
Roar Rookie
Your life might be real boring if that sort of stuff makes you feel better. Glad I could help tho
Guess
Roar Rookie
It can be both. It's true that Aussie players are just worse on average but tahs are bad against Aussie teams too and that's on coach, ie his plan and selections. Even in games against kiwis they could've been closer with better coach. I still think this year 'the best of all teams' can be the strongest in a long while
1997 Brumbies
Roar Rookie
No
RichTheTraveller
Roar Rookie
It's just Coleman. I'm sorry, just compared to all of the other Super teams (this week's results notwithstanding) the tahs are showing no improvement on last season and I can see nobody else to blame but the coaching set up. In the NFL they say players win games, coaches lose them, and i think it's true here.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
QLD are pretty tired of supplying players for the rest of the competition.
SGrey
Roar Rookie
Waratahs 41 missed tackles compared to 15 missed by Hurricanes. 166 tackles made by Waratahs compared to 118 by Hurricanes. Waratahs looked like they were puffing, and with that many tackles, no surprise. Waratahs kicked more than Hurricanes - 19 to 16.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Someone has to watch the Waratahs.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
I would go with Beale.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Not sure why your watching Tahs games then. Slightly weird. I couldn't think of anything worse watch a reds or a Brumbies game. If its just to put the boot in then I suppose thats OK. Personally, wouldn't wipe my A$#@ with a reds Jumper. Might get an infection from a maggot.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
1997 Brumbies . Good name that . Is that the last time Brumbies won Super Rugby?
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
After only playing 2-3 games over the last 4 years, I don't think anyone is saying he should be rushed into the Wallabies.