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Waratahs take their first NZ Super scalp with last-gasp score
By AAP
The NSW Waratahs remain believers after claiming their first New Zealand scalp of the 2023 season to scramble back into the Super Rugby Pacific's top eight.
Ben Donaldson's last-minute conversion of a desperate Mahe Vailanu try earned the Waratahs a heart-stopping 21-20 win over the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
The thrilling victory thrust Darren Coleman's side from 10th to sixth on the ladder.
"If I said I wasn't looking at the ladder, I'd be lying. I pretty much know who everyone is playing for the last five weeks," a hugely relieved Coleman said.
"We've got pretty clear goals about what we want to do in these last six weeks and the first step was tonight and we got the win.
"We've just got to keep building momentum and you've just got to hit the play-offs in form and relatively healthy and you're a puncher's chance."
Coleman had been banking on the return of a raft of Wallabies to kickstart a run to the quarter-finals aft er last week's 55-21 drubbing at the hands of the Blues in Auckland.
And the cavalry delivered, with champion flanker Michael Hooper, barnstorming No.8 Langi Gleeson and hooker Dave Porecki all putting in big performances upon their return to the starting XV.
Langi broke the Highlanders' defence open in the first minute of the game, while man-of-the-match Hooper was typically in the thick of everything all night and even conjured a 50-22 kick that led to a vital try on the stroke of halftime to Lalakai Foketi.
That strike gave the Tahs a 14-6 buffer at the break after two Sam Gilbert penalty goals for the Highlanders all but cancelled out Izaia Perese's powerhouse try in the 17th minute.
Whistle-happy referee Damon Murphy made for a dour contest but the Waratahs, seemingly locked in a six-way battle for the last three finals spots, will take wins however they come at this stage of the season.
Murphy dished out 20 penalties and back-to-back infringements from the Waratahs allowed Highlanders No.8 Hug h Renton to score from a driving maul to drag the visitors to within a point of the lead.
They hit the front for the first time five minutes later when Aaron Smith darted over.
In a double whammy, Foketi was sin-binned immediately after the Highlanders grabbed a 20-14 lead for a tip tackle in the lead-up to Smith's try.
Suddenly the Waratahs needed to find something - and they did.
But they left it late.
With Foketi back on and Highlanders forward Pari Pari Parkinson yellow-carded, it was the Waratahs who finished the game with a one-man advantage.
The Highlanders held the Tahs at bay for several minutes before replacement hooker Vailanu finally found his way over and Donaldson coolly converted to snatch the lead back with 32 seconds left on the clock.
"It was a bit stressful up there," Coleman said of the tension in the NSW coaches' box.
"There was a period in that second half where they got a roll on and we were going back-to-bac k with errors and I felt like the momentum had swung and might have left us.
"But I'm just proud of the boys to show the ticker to stay in it and that composure at the end to get that try was pretty special."
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Everywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
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