Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Match Highlights - Waratahs overcome off field controversy with comeback win over Rebels

The NSW Waratahs have breathed fresh life into their Super Rugby campaign with a crucial comeback win over the conference-leading Melbourne Rebels.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rocked by the Israel Folau firestorm, the Waratahs overcame a week of turmoil and a 13-point halftime deficit to down the Rebels 23-20 on Saturday night and regain control of their finals fate.

Inspired by skipper Michael Hooper in the champion flanker’s 100th game for NSW, the Waratahs’ third win from as many starts at the SCG may well have saved their season.

After falling seven competition points adrift of the Rebels after a last-start loss to the Blues, the Tahs are suddenly back in the box seat in the Australian conference.

With the Rebels having a bye next week to stew over successive defeats, the Waratahs can go top of the conference with another home triumph over the Sharks next Saturday night.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

The Waratahs’ season looked like slipping away after a three-from-seven start and then having Folau, Super Rugby’s all-time leading try-scorer, issued with a breach of contract notice by Rugby Australia on Wednesday for his homophobic social media posts.

But after standing down Folau as the Wallabies superstar fights to save his career, the Waratahs stepped up in a steely show of resilience as big guns Hooper, Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale displayed their class.

ADVERTISEMENT

Replacing Folau at fullback, Beale’s kicking game was superb, while Foley enjoyed a unanimous points win over Quade Cooper in their much-anticipated five-eighth duel.

Foley scored all 16 points in the Waratahs’ second-half fightback, the match-winning haul coming from a 50-metre try – when he beat Cooper to a loose ball at the back of a lineout – three penalty goals and a conversion.

The Rebels suffered an early blow with winger Jack Maddocks forced out of the game in the second minute after failing a HIA following a head clash with NSW opposite Cam Clark.

When Waratahs veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper strolled over in the 18th minute after a nice inside ball from Jed Holloway, it looked like being a long night for the visitors.

ADVERTISEMENT

But back-to-back tries to Billy Meakes and Reece Hodge plus a long-range penalty goal to Hodge in his milestone 50th Super Rugby game earned the Rebels a 20-7 halftime advantage.

It was all the Waratahs after the break, though, as Hooper’s men retained the Weary Dunlop Shield.

AAP

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 37 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland
Search