Waratahs thump Brumbies 39-8 to go top of Super Rugby ladder, but lose captain Dave Dennis to injury

DAVE Dennis ordered NSW to turn up next week with a “business as usual” mentality despite his injury scouring the gloss off a big win over the Brumbies.

NSW Waratahs VS ACT Brumbies Saturday 28th June - Fifthth send

DAVE Dennis ordered his side to turn up next week with a “business as usual” mentality despite a probable season-ending knee injury scouring the gloss off a big Waratahs victory over the Brumbies on Saturday night.

NSW steamrollered over the top of an injury-depleted Brumbies side to secure a five-try, bonus-point win, which saw them take top spot on the Super Rugby ladder and clinch the Australian conference and secure a home final.

But it came at a massive cost, with Dennis suffering a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament injury in the first half; potentially his third such injury since 2007.

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Waratahs coach Michael Cheika said the team had “definitely sung the song with less vigour” after the win but refusing to bow to the grave consequence of a bad knee injury until scans on Sunday, Dennis later chose to front the Tahs’ press conference.

“It doesn’t feel ideal but I will get a scan early in the morning and hopefully it is minor,” Dennis said.

“You never know. I have obviously had past issues with my knee.

“It didn’t feel good. I had to come off the field, which is the most disappointing part. The boys pushed on and played well.”

Waratahs captain Dave Dennis is taken from the field after injuring his knee.

Cheika said the team was gutted for Dennis but said it was a sign of his character — and leadership of the revitalised Waratahs — that he refused to give up the fight until conclusive evidence was produced.

“We’re not dreamers, we obviously know it looks like it’s serious. But at the same time in the tradition of hopefully what we are going to be going forward we don’t want to give in until it is absolutely necessary to give up,” Cheika said.

“Dave has been an integral part of the team’s development, not just the play. And he will continue to do that as well. We are not going to put up the RIP sign, we are just going to get on with it and we’ll acknowledge things as they occur. By the sign of him turning up here is a sign of the man he is.”

Winger Alofa Alofa dives over to score one of his two tries for the Waratahs.

Rubbing several kilograms of salt into the wound for Dennis — a long serving NSW stalwart — is the fact the Waratahs are now poised to make their best run at a maiden Super Rugby title in years — perhaps ever.

The Tahs demolished the Brumbies for a fifth-straight win, and not only climbed to the top of the overall ladder but clinched the Australian conference title as well with two rounds remaining.

After a hard-fought opening quarter, the Waratahs shot out to a 14-3 half-time lead before dropping the hammer in the second half and adding another three tries for a bonus-point win.

Missing six Wallabies and 11 starters in total, the Brumbies fought grimly but the spare parts outfit eventually ran out of steam, and ideas, against a humming Tah machine.

NSW not only stressed the ACT side with pace but rumbled them at their core strengths as well, with an efficient set-piece and physical breakdown work.

Bernard Foley was named man of the match but Wycliff Palu and Michael Hooper — who replaced Dennis as captain — would have been fair choices as well, after both picked up where they left off with the Wallabies.

Israel Folau takes on the Brumbies defence.

The defeat ended the Brumbies’ hopes of finishing top of the Australian conference, given they have a zero-point bye to come.

With two rounds left, the Waratahs only need to win their last two matches to keep the field at bay and, if they win a semi-final, then earn an all-important home final. Fourteen of 18 Super Rugby title winners have hosted the final.

Though the tumult of his injury, and a beckoning finals run, could distract, Dennis said he hoped the Waratahs would remain single-minded.

“We have a new purpose with next weekend’s performance, so I expect, and I imagine it will happen, the attitude of the guys when they come in Monday will be as good as it has been over the last couple of months,” Dennis said.

Bernard Foley celebrates after scoring a try for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs led 14-5 after a first half where they had to make the most of rare visits into the Brumbies territory to score points.

Early territory dominance was finally reversed with a NSW tight-head win, and 130-cap prop Benn Robinson followed up that good work by burrowing over for the first try soon after.

Soon after the restart it was more bad news for the Brumbies. The first pass of Kuridrani’s replacement, debutante Rodney Iona, was intercepted by Alofa Alofa and the NSW winger raced 60 metres to score.

Jesse Mogg clawed a try back for the visitors with a rare out-leap of Israel Folau to catch a cross kick and score, but the second half belonged to the Waratahs as the Brumbies spare-parts outfit ran out of steam.

With field position and referee Steve Walsh sin-binning Fotu Auelua for repeated Brumbies slow-down tactics, the Tahs raced away and scored three more tries to Bernard Foley, Alofa again and Palu.

Waratahs flanker Michael Hooper tries to break out of Henry Speight’s tackle.

NSW WARATAHS 39 (Alofa Alofa 2, Bernard Foley, Wycliff Palu, Benn Robinson tries Foley 4 cons Kurtley Beale, Foley pens) bt BRUMBIES 8 (Jesse Mogg try Christian Leali’ifano pen) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Steve R. Walsh

Relive how the action unfolded at ANZ Stadium in our match blog below

Originally published as Waratahs thump Brumbies 39-8 to go top of Super Rugby ladder, but lose captain Dave Dennis to injury