Super Rugby AU: NSW Waratahs beat Western Force 23-14

While the domestic Kiwi comp has produced thrill-a-minute action, not even the return of Western Force from exile can save a sunstandard Super Rugby AU at the moment.

Fraser McReight can’t get through the Rebels defence.

All the goodwill in the world at seeing the Western Force back in Super Rugby can’t paper over the massive cracks that are appearing in ­Australia’s playing standards.

There’s not a fan in the country who wasn’t pleased to see the Force give the Waratahs a run for their money on Saturday, just to stick it up Rugby Australia’s past administrators who kicked them out of the competition in 2017.

With a bit more experience under their belt, the Force might well have beaten the Tahs but there was no disgrace for them in the 23-14 loss because it was proof that leaving them out of the bubble was one of the most shortsighted, cold-hearted blunders from a board that made a habit of getting the big calls wrong.

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Jack Maddocks was sent flying through the air after being clipped by a Force defender.

“We didn’t come in to prove a point because we know where we’re heading as a club and we’re in a really good position,” Force coach Tim Sampson said. “We’re rapt to playing in this competition again and I’m sure there’s a lot of people back home proud of that ­performance.”

But that’s about where the feel-good story ends.

While the Force’s brave performance provided some hope that Australian rugby has more depth than the critics think, no one should be kidding themselves.

Never has the gap between the standards of Australia and New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams been wider than right now, though there are some mitigating reasons.

While the domestic Kiwi comp has produced thrill-a-minute action right from the outset, the Australian version is substandard by comparison, though the players are much younger and still learning.

Alex Newsome was in the thick of the action for the Waratahs. Picture: Getty Images

Waratahs coach Rob Penney has called for patience, saying NSW’s young players will come good if given enough time.

“We’re also still a group that is finding our way in terms of preparation and competing at this level,” he said. “The Western Force played really well and full credit to them. They came with a lot of emotion and no matter what you do behind the scenes to try and generate that yourself, it was always a little bit of the unknown for us.”

It was clear even before the kick off that the Force were not going to be overawed by their return to the big dance as they charged on to the SCG and got in position to receive the kick off while the Tahs were still in the sheds.

The Force dominated the first half, opening up a 14-0 lead after a try in the right corner by winger Byron Ralston and three penalties from Ian Prior.

Byron Ralston grabbed the opening try for the Western Force. Picture: Getty Images

The Waratahs were guilty of overplaying their hand, spreading the ball too wide, too soon and it was only the cool head of Michael Hooper, who had a huge game, and his older teammates that steered the Waratahs back on track.

Rob Simmons turned down a penalty and was rewarded when teenage NSW prop Angus Bell crashed over from close range on the stroke of halftime, and with Will Harrison converting the Waratahs were lucky to go to the break trailing 14-7.

Momentum was back on their side though and Harrison, whose goal kicking was again excellent, cut the margin to a point with two penalties early in the second half.

Then a 50/22 kick from Karmichael Hunt led to replacement Tom Staniforth putting the Waratahs in front with a try in the 61st minute and that was the contest over as the Tahs piled on 23 unanswered points to register their first win of the new competition.

Coach Rob Penney has called for patience with his young Waratahs’ team. Picture: Getty Images

“I thought our game management in the second half was really good,” Penney said.

“We fell into the trap early on of guys trying to express themselves too much too early and that’s where the ­errors came.

“So a lot of credit goes to the boys to be able to change tactically and adjust what they needed to do to get the outcome so it’s a step forward in the right direction.

“It’s lovely to win, I hate losing so I guess we can sleep a bit easier at night.”

REBELS WITHOUT APPLAUSE IN SUPER BOREFEST

By Wayne Smith

It was just as well history was made as the first Super Rugby AU Super time draw was fought out by the Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels on Friday at Brookvale Oval because the low-quality game wasn’t memorable for any other reason.

Full-time was just a few teasing seconds away when Rebels five-eighth Matt Toomua launched a long raking kick down the middle of the field where it was claimed by his Reds counterpart James O’Connor.

Just 10 minutes earlier O’Connor had thrown the pass which Rebels centre Billy Meakes had intercepted to race away and score what looked to be the winning try, taking the Melbourne side out to an 18-8 lead.

Fraser McReight can’t get through the Rebels defence.

But the Reds, who had clawed back a 74th minute penalty goal to just stay in touch, were determined to go down all guns blazing.

O’Connor sprinted left after taking the catch, unloading to winger Chris Feauai-Sautia who looked to have wasted the opportunity by ignoring number eight Harry Wilson on his outside.

But just as he went to ground in the tackle, he flicked the ball ambitiously into the air for another likely-looking “villain”, hooker Alex Mafi, to make up for all his errant lineout throws by pulling it in and racing away for the try.

With O’Connor landing the simple conversion, the match was all tied up at 18-all and, under the new experimental rules in use for this Australian-only competition, that sent the game into extra time. Two five minute halves were played, with the winner the first team to score by any means.

In the end, the extra time proved to be as chaotic as the previous 80 minutes, with the only semblance of a chance coming when Bryce Hegarty missed a 50m shot at penalty goal by the narrowest of margins. He held his pose long after hitting the ball, like a golfer admiring his drive, but at the last moment it faded to the right of the posts.

The ball was hard to handle in the wet at Brookvale Oval.

For a while it seemed like the experimental rules had also allowed for “force’em back” as O’Connor and Hegarty for the Reds traded kicks with Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge and Toomua, and although the Rebels may have taken a points victory, it wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard.

Wet conditions provided the excuse for sloppy handling, 11 lineouts won by the opposition – the Rebels principally – and multiple turnovers but never was the gap in standard between Super Rugby AU and New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa more evident.

The Kiwis regularly play in similar conditions without gifting their opponents the ball at virtually every turn.

Originally published as Super Rugby AU: NSW Waratahs beat Western Force 23-14