The method behind Kurtley Beale’s moment of madness in Tahs latest loss

KURTLEY Beale thought the Waratahs had a penalty advantage when he launched his ill-fated cross kick for Israel Folau in the final moments of NSW’s loss to the Blues at Brookvale Oval.

Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley of the Waratahs react during the Round 12 Super Rugby match between the NSW Waratahs and the Blues at Brookvale Oval in Sydney on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (AAP Image/Jeremy Ng) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

KURTLEY Beale mistakenly believed the Waratahs had a penalty advantage when he lobbed a cross kick to Israel Folau in the 79th minute of NSW’s gut-wrenching loss to the Blues at Brookvale Oval.

The Tahs had camped on the line of the Auckland-based Blues for most of the second half and had put themselves into a position to win the match late when skipper Michael Hooper scored and cut their deficit to just three points.

But after the Waratahs had attacked the line of the Blues for 19 phases in the dying minutes — and forward charges were the best option to score — Beale kicked a long ball to Folau in the right corner.

It was just too big for even Folau, arguably rugby’s premier aerial player, and the ball went out. The Blues ran down the clock, and despite one last throw of the dice by NSW after the siren, won the game.

Beale blew the Tahs final chance.

The decision by Beale had many in the crowd baffled — why use such a high-risk play at that time of the game?

Hooper and NSW coach Daryl Gibson explained later it was due to a mistaken belief that the Waratahs had a penalty advantage, due to referee Jaco Peyper sticking his arm out for a Blues’ knock-on many phases beforehand.

Many teams use a speculative attacking kick under that scenario, knowing if it doesn't come off they’ll still get the penalty.

But the Waratahs’ advantage for the knock-on had expired by the time Beale kicked the ball.

“I thought that was a penalty advantage. because I saw the arm get stuck out a bit before,” Hooper said.

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“We probably missed the trick on that one, and Kurtley was probably feeling the same way.”

Gibson said the error was symptomatic of a lack of composure and clear thought for the Waratahs, who failed to convert a glut of possession in the Blues’ half into points and a drought-busting win.

“It’s disappointing to not come away with more points from all the pressure,” Gibson said.

“We controlled large parts of that game and missed a lot of opportunities there.

“Definitely near the end I felt we lacked a bit of composure there to hold the ball a little bit longer. Maybe the boys got confused and thought they were on a penalty advantage as opposed to an advantage (for a knock on).

“That was a set plan. I believe he thought we were on a penalty advantage (and) that’s what we coach our boys to do on a penalty advantage.

“If that’s two metres shorter, Israel gets that.”

It was another frustrating night for the Tahs.

Blues coach Tana Umaga said if Folau had capped a strong game on return from injury with a spectacular matchwinner “then maybe there would be no question about whether it was a good option or not”.

Like in their other defeats this year, Gibson said the Waratahs had delivered defeat to their own doorstep.

“We lost that game, in my mind, with what we did with the possession we had,” he said.

“When you are your own worst enemy and undoing yourself, that’s the most disappointing thing in this loss.”

Hooper said the pain of the defeat was accentuated by the fact a big Brookie crowd had packed in and couldn’t go away satisfied.

“I am a Manly boy and It was awesome, it really brought a smile to my face,” he said.

“That’s why it hurts even more, that we couldn’t get up. But if that’s a test for potentially in the years going forward, it ticked the boxes.

“We’re disappointed. I feel like we are creating so much. We just let off pressure, we defended really well at times and didn’t seem like we were getting threatened too much. And then give away a penalty and before you know it we are in our 22. Things like that are frustrating.”