NSW Waratahs notch their third straight win with a 21-6 victory over the Cheetahs
The NSW Waratahs have won their third match in a row, with a 21 points to 6 win over the Cheetahs at Allianz Stadium in round 11 of Super Rugby tonight.
In his 71st Super Rugby match, NSW fly-half Bernard Foley scored 16 points in the same game he became equal highest Super Rugby-capped flyhalf for the Waratahs.
It was the home side’s defence that denied the Cheetahs from scoring a try. Mixed with a dominant and powerful scrum, the Tahs win was the third on the trot.
A brilliant dummy from fly-half Bernard Foley fooled the opposition into thinking he was kicking, before throwing a short ball to team captain Michael Hooper. Hooper then broke through the defensive line in what was the first few minutes of play.
The Cheetahs, playing their typical frantic style of running rugby, caught the Tahs offside, earning a shot at goal from 30 metres out. Fly-half Fred Zeilinga then kicked his side to an early 3-nil lead.
A colossal hit from lock Will Skelton helped turn the ball over for the Tahs following the restart. The ensuing play saw the Cheetahs penalised at the breakdown, giving Foley a tough kick from about five metres in from touch. The kick successful locked the scores at 3-3.
The first scrum of the night transpired after 10 minutes. The Waratahs ever-improving set piece was evident, as they earned themselves a penalty with tight-head prop Luan De Bruin deemed to have illegally angled inwards in the scrum. Foley, with another attempt at goal, didn’t disappoint and the home side took the lead by 6-3.
After 20 minutes of rugby, the Waratahs seemed to have hit every tackle.
A brilliant try-saving cover tackle from NSW fullback Andrew Kellaway around the bootlaces, saved an almost certain try, as he gobbled up his opposing fullback and dragged him into touch.
The Waratahs scrum went from strength to strength, earning them a third penalty with referee Nick Berry judging the Cheetahs front row to have illegally collapsed.
NSW continued their recent trend of opting for tactical kicking. Inside centre Kurtley Beale saw some space in behind the Cheetahs line and put it perfectly into touch 10 metres out from the try-line.
The Cheetahs came undone in their line-out, gifting the Tahs a scrum. From the set piece, a long lobbing pass from Bernard Foley was caught on the bounce by winger Reece Robinson, who, being dragged into touch by his opposing winger, managed to score a magical try. Foley couldn’t convert, but it took the Tahs’ lead out to 11-3.
A tough offside penalty gifted Zeilinga another easy penalty goal, bringing the Cheetahs back to within a try with less than 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Another dominant scrum put the Waratahs on the front foot. From their forward momentum, Bernard Foley dummied and broke through two sloppy defenders to score his first try of the season. Foley converted his own try, bringing his tally to 13, and NSW the lead by 18 points to 6.
As the siren sounded for half-time, the Tahs kept the lead by 12 points.
The dominance of the Waratahs scrum continued in the second half, earning them a penalty with the Cheetahs number 8 Henco Venter illegally grabbing the ball from under the front row’s feet.
The penalty gave Foley an opportunity to pile more misery onto the visitors. His added three points pushing the Tahs lead out to 15 points.
The Cheetahs front row collapsed again at scrum time, with referee Nick Berry forced to blow the whistle yet again. The Waratahs then ended a barrage of attacks from the Cheetahs on their try line.
A knock-on from the Cheetahs as they entered the Waratahs 22 metre line, was snapped up by Kurtley Beale who turned defence into attack. He sped towards the defensive line before throwing a mystical cut out pass to Israel Folau.
The outside-centre drew two defenders and, with an offload to Reece Robinson down the side-line, the Tahs kicked their way deep into the Cheetahs half, relieving the pressure.
NSW Country born lock was handed a huge opportunity, running out for his Super Rugby debut as a replacement for Wycliff Palu at the 65-minute mark.
The visiting South Africans were desperate to score, but the Waratahs’ heroic defence continued to knock them back with minutes remaining.
The Waratahs set up some good phase play as the siren sounded for full time. Seeing an overlap in the defence, Foley passed to Beale, who drew in the Cheetahs’ defenders before passing to Folau who crossed the line for a last-minute try.
The Waratahs were denied the last five-pointer, however, and therefore the bonus-point win after the TMO ruled a forward pass in the previous phase. The final score left at a 21-6 to the Waratahs.
With the Waratahs partner, CMC Markets donating $1000 to match day charity, White Ribbon Australia, for every Tahs’ try scored, the organisation will receive $2000 to go towards their campaign to end men’s violence against women.
The NSW Waratahs host the Bulls next Saturday 14 May at Allianz Stadium. Kick off for the round 12 match is at 7:40PM AEST with tickets available at www.waratahs.com.au/tickets.
see: https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-gb/
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