Match Highlights - Waratahs overrun Highlanders in stunning second-half fightback
The Waratahs ran in three tries in seven second-half minutes to secure a superb 30-23 comeback win over the Highlanders and a spot in the Super Rugby semi-finals.
Trailing by 17 at half-time, the Australian Conference winners staged a remarkable revival to pile on 24 unanswered points in the second period on the way to a second successive win over the Highlanders.
Bernard Foley was the chief destroyer, crossing twice either side of Israel Folau's 10th of the season in a game-changing burst that began in the 54th minute.
The Waratahs had earlier appeared set for a quick exit from their first play-off appearance in three years when tries from Waisake Naholo and Rob Thompson, and a trio of Lima Sopoaga penalties, combined to put the Highlanders in a commanding position.
But the influence of fly-half Foley, who finished with 25 points, and some desperate defence late in the match, swung the contest in favour of the New South Wales franchise, who recorded their first post-season win since beating the Crusaders in the 2014 final.
Their hopes of more success now hinge on a semi-final date with either the Jaguares or the Lions, who meet later on Saturday.
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So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
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