Super Rugby 2015, Brumbies v Waratahs: NSW cling on for hard-fought 13-10 victory in Canberra
THE NSW Waratahs have reasserted their Super Rugby title credentials with a hard-fought victory over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
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UPDATE: ​WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika praised the Brumbies for having the “courage” to turn down a draw and chase a win in the final minute of a drought-breaking NSW victory in Canberra on Friday night.
The Waratahs claimed their first win in the nation’s capital since 2011, and kept alive their title defence hopes, but were helped when the Brumbies rolled the dice for the win in the dying moments.
With NSW leading 13-10, the hosts won a penalty 40 metres out but instead of having a shot at goal for a share of the points, the ACT coaches instructed the side to kick for the corner and use their rolling maul to score.
As they’d done all night, the Waratahs held the dangerous Brumbies rolling maul out and held on for a significant win. Had they lost, NSW would have faced a steep uphill battle to defend their premiership in the run home.
The Brumbies maintained their Australian conference lead with their losing bonus point, but they still have a bye to come where the Tahs could kick ahead.
RE-LIVE THE ACTION INCLUDING STATS AND VIDEO IN MATCH CENTRE
NSW skipper Dave Dennis said he was surprised the Brumbies didn’t take the points after a game of “Test match-like intensity”, but Cheika said he not only was not shocked, he admired the call.
“The Brumbies have scored an unbelievable amount of tries off their driving maul. Their strike rate is almost as accurate as their goal kicking,” Cheika said.
“I didn’t see it as a particularly risky decision. They went for the win and I am never going to be a person who complains about a team going for a win. That’s courage.”
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said with the choice of one point, two points or four, he’d backed his side to pocket the maximum and put a dagger in the Tahs.
“If we get the kick over there, we take two points, they take points, square on the log as we were before the game,” Larkham said.
“We made that decision that it was probably a 50-50 with the goal kick and we backed ourselves to play a bit of footy.”
The Brumbies’ rolling maul collapsed without a sanction for NSW, but Larkham said he was content with the performance if referee Glen Jackson.
“I thought the referring was fantastic last night. Probably the best referee we had all year,” Larkham said.
The match was billed as a huge clash all week, but it was so full of consequence, the intensity levels drowned out any hope of a spectacle.
Both sides were in full “whatever it takes” mode, and the Brumbies would rue one that got away after dominating physically in the opening half. Joe Tomane scored the hosts’ only try in the 7th minute, but Adam Ashley-Cooper responded seven minutes later.
The Waratahs wobbled under huge defensive pressure, and a stifled breakdown, but the hosts didn’t make the most of their upper hand and only led 10-7 at the break.
NSW muscled up more after the break, and backed their defence to get the job done. They kicked the ball into Brumbies territory and pocketed the only points of the second half with penalties to Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale.
It was a slender lead but it was enough to defend, even after Rob Horne was yellow carded in the 64th minute a cynical tackle on David Pocock at the back if a rolling maul.
“It was never going to be a perfect game because it was almost like there was too much at stake. The pressure and line speed they brought to their game was big,” Cheika said.
“I just said to the lads this is like a stare off. It’s who is going to blink first. It is going to go down to the end of the game and you have to keep coming. We knew the Brumbies would keep coming.
“This is a very very difficult venue to win at and things weren’t going our way, and we just hung in there. Those things make me proud of the team.”
BRUMBIES (1-15): JP Smith, Stephen Moore (c), Ben Alexander, Jordan Smiler, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, David Pocock, Ita Vaea, Michael Dowsett, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane, Robbie Coleman, Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight, Jesse Mogg
Reserves: Josh Mann-Rea, Allan Alaalatoa, Ruan Smith, Blake Enever, Jarrad Butler, Joe Powell, James Dargaville, Nigel Ah Wong
WARATAHS (1-15): Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Dave Dennis (c), Will Skelton, Jacques Potgieter, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham, Israel Folau.
Reserves: olu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Mitch Chapman, Stephen Hoiles, Pat McCutcheon, Brendan McKibbin, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Matt Carraro (one to be omitted).
Originally published as Super Rugby 2015, Brumbies v Waratahs: NSW cling on for hard-fought 13-10 victory in Canberra
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