The New South Wales Waratahs put their season firmly back on track by coming from behind to beat a tiring Sharks side 34-30 in an entertaining Super Rugby encounter at the Sydney Football Stadium yesterday.
Coming off two successive defeats, the Waratahs trailed the South Africans 24-13 early in the second half with their season threatening to implode before it had really begun.
However, tries from fullback Bernard Foley and pugnacious center Tom Carter in five minutes approaching the hour mark got them back in the contest, while winger Tom Kingston crossed the line four minutes from time to clinch the bonus-point win.
Photo: EPA
The Sharks played the better first half and scored tries through winger Lwazi Mvovo, No. 8 Keegan Daniel and hooker Bismarck du Plessis, but faded in the Sydney sunshine as the long journey from South Africa began to take its toll.
Both teams tried to run the ball from all parts of the pitch, but it was the visitors who got the first try in the third minute when Mvovo was set free to sprint to the line by impressive center Meyer Bosman.
Waratahs scrumhalf Brendan McKibbin scored all of his team’s points in the first half with the first try, which he converted, as well as two penalties.
The Sharks used the rolling maul effectively throughout the match and it was from catch and drives that skipper Daniel and du Plessis crossed for tries either side of the break to give them an 11 point lead.
Even after Foley and Carter had scored their tries to put the home side 27-24 ahead, Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambie pegged them back with two penalties.
However, the Waratahs would not be denied and a rampaging run from lock Dean Mumm got them into Shark territory and unrelenting pressure left space for Kingston to skip over in the corner, with Berrick Barnes adding the extras from the touchline.
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