Waratahs pay steep price for last-minute penalty miss by Bernard Foley

A missed penalty in the final minute cost the Waratahs a winning start to the Super Rugby season after they were pipped 20-19 by the Hurricanes at Brookvale Oval.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 16: Bernard Foley of the Waratahs misses a conversion attempt during the round one Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and the Hurricanes at Brookvale Oval on February 16, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Bernard Foley vowed to back himself the next time he gets a matchwinning kick at goal after missing a late penalty in NSW’s 20-19 loss to the Hurricanes at Brookvale Oval.

Foley, who had kicked flawlessly throughout the match, missed a penalty with 64 seconds remaining after the Waratahs had earned a scrum penalty.

“It’s disappointing, to reward the front row at the end there, they did a great job to win that penalty, so it would have been great to reward them,” Foley said.

“But it’s process-driven, I’m not driven by outcomes, same with my kicking, I’ll just go back to it, just keep trying to stick at it, keep trying to get consistent and better at it and given that shot again, back myself.”

Bernard Foley of the Waratahs misses a conversion attempt that would have won the game. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara was relieved to see Foley’s kick sail just wide.

“I was behind the sticks and he didn’t miss by much,” Perenara said. “Me and Jordie [Barrett] were both there saying “Please pull it bro, please pull it” and lucky enough it did.

“That’s not a position you want to be in late in the game, behind the sticks hoping a goal-kicker like Bernard Foley misses a shot.

“That’s something we will be talking about.”

After the miss, the Tahs pressed for a winning score three minutes into added time, but a loose lineout throw from Tolu Latu saw the ‘Canes kick the ball out and claim a thrilling victory in front of raucous 17,111 fans on the northern peninsula.

Michael Hooper of the Waratahs gestures to the referee after the Hurricanes cross for a try. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Canes replacement backrower Du’Plessis Kirifi, who had earlier cost his side a five-pointer, burst through for decisive try in the 75th minute after a lineout drive from close range.

The Tahs had conceded a scrum penalty and the Canes opted for the lineout. After driving through the middle, Kirifi broke away and stormed through Foley’s tackle to score, with Jordie Barrett’s conversion giving them a 20-19 lead.

However, a scrum penalty won by debutant Chris Talakai gave Foley a chance to seal the match from just over 30 metres out, but he pushed his kick wide having kicked five straight.

The Hurricanes had been denied two tries in three minutes late in the match.

Ardie Savea was awarded his second try in the 67th minute by referee Angus Gardner before the official opted to review the play.

After referring to television official Ian Smith, Gardner picked up that Kirifi had elbowed NSW skipper Michael Hooper in the face, allowing Savea the momentum to score, and disallowed the try.

It then appeared winger Ben Lam had crossed in the 70th minute, but replays showed he was in touch from the tackles of Hooper and Curtis Rona before grounding the ball.

But they kept coming and snatched an important win on the road, marking their first ever back-to-back win in Sydney.

The Tahs led 12-10 at the break courtesy of four Foley penalties, and stormed out of the blocks in the second half to score three minutes after the resumption.

TJ Perenara of the Hurricanes passes the ball away from a scrum. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding

Rona crossed in the corner after Israel Folau made a break out wide following a tap-on pass from Jed Holloway.

Folau drew the cover defence and unleashed Rona down the sideline, with the winger outpacing Savea to the line.

The 19-10 lead was cut by three after Barrett kicked another penalty in the 54th minute.

Foley’s first kick of the match, in just the third minute, saw him overtake Matt Burke (958) as the highest ever Super Rugby points scorer in Waratahs history.

The Canes countered with their own penalty through Barrett five minutes later, but repeated infringements by the visitors saw Foley kick NSW ahead 9-3 by the 16th minute.

A tight tussle ensued as both sides struggled to build momentum due to poor handling and discipline.

NSW prop Harry Johnson-Holmes nearly scored the club’s first try of the season, held up in the 20th minute by lock James Blackwell.

The Canes started to build pressure towards the end of the half and scored the first try in the 36th minute when Savea burrowed over from close range.

Savea’s five-pointer came after a sustained raid on the Tahs’ line by repeated pick-and-drives from close range by the Canes, and Barrett’s conversion put them 10-9 ahead.

But from the kick-off, Barrett made contact with a leaping Folau, with Foley nailing his 40-metre penalty kick to ensure NSW held the advantage at halftime.

Israel Folau of the Waratahs in action. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding

FULL-TIME

HURRICANES 20 (Du’Plessis Kirifi, Ardie Savea tries Jordie Barrett 2 cons 2 pens) bt NSW WARATAHS 19 (Curtis Rona try Bernard Foley con 4 pens) at Brookvale Oval. Referee: Angus Gardner. Crowd: 17,111

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