Super Rugby: Winger Taqele Naiyaravoro inspires Waratahs to big win over Sunwolves
IN Taqele Naiyaravoro, the NSW Waratahs have the X-factor player needed to scare the entire Super Rugby competition and give them attacking edge to mount a genuine title campaign.
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Waratahs 50 Sunwolves 29
IN Taqele Naiyaravoro, the NSW Waratahs have the X-factor player needed to scare the entire Super Rugby competition and give them attacking edge to mount a genuine title campaign.
Naiyaravoro, the 124kg giant winger, produced a mind-blowing 80-minute performance in Tokyo as NSW destroyed the Sunwolves 50-29.
The Fijian-born Wallaby made 202 metres from just eight runs, scored a try, set up two others, made four line breaks and leaves Japan with Godzilla status.
Naiyaravoro is just the third Waratah in history to notch more than 200 metres in a match, following Israel Folau and Peter Hewat.
NSW coach Daryl Gibson had lamented Naiyaravoro’s inability to push out more than 40 minutes of meaningful game time – he’d been subbed early in his previous two matches – but on Saturday afternoon he was as damaging in the final minute as the first.
Naiyaravoro’s try came in the 74th, while his first long break was made in the sixth. In between, he was a monumental menace for the Sunwolves tacklers, who often were little more than flailing arms and crumpled bodies under his boots.
“Our transition was fantastic, moving the ball to space, in particular Taqele on the wing who was special there,” Waratahs skipper Michael Hooper said.
This is the second time in three games the Tahs have racked up a half-century, and the first time since 2016 they’ve won three in a row.
The seven tries to four victory gave them a valuable bonus point, leaving them just one point behind Australian conference leaders Melbourne, who they defeated 51-27 on March 18.
NSW will now turn attention to their border rival grudge match against Queensland at the SCG next Saturday.
The win over the Sunwolves was constructed from a clever kicking strategy in blustery winds.
The story is told in the statistics: the Sunwolves kicked 16 times for 419 metres, NSW kicked 19 times for 645 metres.
While the home side used short kicks in attempts to create tries, NSW punted the ball downfield and pressured the willing Sunwolves attack into errors.
It worked. While the Sunwolves’ adventurous attack was brilliant to watch in patches, led ably by Michael Little – son of All Black legend Walter Little – they blundered possession too often.
The Waratahs had raced to a 24-7 lead after just 20 minutes, but the Sunwolves came storming back to have it 24-17 nine minutes later courtesy of a sensational runaway try and penalty goal.
It was a short-lived revival, as NSW scored two tries in the final five minutes of the half to lead by 21 points.
NSW extended their lead to 43-17 early in the second half when Hooper scored off a rolling maul.
The Sunwolves rallied to get back to 43-29, before Naiyaravoro created a 50-metre break, then finished off the attacking raid a few phases later to put an exclamation mark on his statement game.
NSW WARATAHS 50 (Jake Gordon 2, Bryce Hegarty, Michael Hooper, Will Miller, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Curtis Rona tries Bernard Foley 6 cons pen) SUNWOLVES 29 (Kazuki Himeno, Michael Little, Semisi Masirewa, Sam Wykes tries Yu Tamura 2, Hayden Parker cons Tamura pen) at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium. Referee: Angus Gardner.
Originally published as Super Rugby: Winger Taqele Naiyaravoro inspires Waratahs to big win over Sunwolves
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