Highlanders thump winless Waratahs to move into second in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman
The NSW Waratahs are staring down the barrel of an historic and humiliating winless season after gifting the Highlanders a record-breaking 59-23 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman victory in Dunedin.
In racking up their most points ever against NSW, the Highlanders piled on NINE tries to TWO at Forsyth Barr Stadium to extend the Waratahs’ unprecedented losing streak to 12 matches.
If they can’t beat the Chiefs next Saturday night in Sydney, the Waratahs will complete a season without a win for the first time in 35 years of professional rugby.
NSW vice-captain Alex Newsome spoke pre-game of the emotional toll the Waratahs’ dismal campaign had already taken on the players and Saturday night’s soul-destroying display won’t have helped.
Even former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who guided the Waratahs to their only Super Rugby title in 2014, was left pulling what’s left of his hair out.
Somewhat miraculously, given their “touch rugby” defence – as New Zealand commentators put it – the Waratahs actually led at the half-hour mark.
But schoolboy errors cost them heavily as the Highlanders converted their 33-23 halftime lead into a commanding bonus-point triumph with four unanswered five-pointers after the break.
Cheika said he felt for Waratahs co-coaches Chris Whitaker and Jason Gilmore and for young props Andrew Tuala and Darcy Breen, who held their own at scrum time only to be let down by teammates.
“Coach Whitaker must be going mad up there, honestly,” Cheika said, shaking his head in the Nine commentary box.
“Like, some of the stuff they do is awesome and some of the stuff they do you want to close your eyes.
“You saw the missed tackle count, they haven’t missed a lot of tackles but they’ve just made some terrible decisions and reads.
“It’s almost like frustration, yeah, is a word that could resonate for everyone watching and definitely for the lads sitting up in the coaches’ box.”
The Waratahs’ biggest names were among the major culprits, with halfback and captain Jake Gordon and fullback and fellow Wallaby Jack Maddocks extremely poor, lazy even, in defence.
In another major worry for defence coach Gilmore, who has designs on the fulltime head-coaching role, tackling went out the window during an astonishing 66-point first half.
There were seven lead changes before the interval but, unfortunately for the Waratahs, it was they who trailed after conceding five of the seven tries.
Perhaps the biggest concern for Whitaker and Gilmore, apart from the meek defence, was the Tahs’ inability to exit their own half from kicks-offs.
The Waratahs let in all five of the Highlanders’ first-half tries immediately after posting points themselves, which they accrued either through lovely tries to Maddocks and winger Mark Nawaqanitawase or the super boot of five-eighth Will Harrison.
Harrison, who delivered a Steve-Larkin-like ball-in-front bullet pass for Maddocks’ try, was easily the Waratahs’ best performer and finished with 13 points from his perfect goalkicking display.
But it was all the Highlanders, whose victory lifted them above the Crusaders into second spot behind the Blues and on track for the June 19 tournament final.
Highlanders 59 (Tries to Michael Collins, Patelesio Tomkinson, Ethan de Groot (2), Ash Dixon, Jona Nareki, Kazuki Himeno and Teariki Ben-Nicholas; 7 conversions to Mitch Hunt)
Waratahs 23 (Tries to Jack Maddocks and Mark Nawaqanitawase; 2 conversions and 3 penalties to Will Harrison)
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
43 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
123 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
123 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
43 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
123 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
43 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments