Champions the New South Wales Waratahs fought off a determined Melbourne Rebels challenge to win their first game of the Super XV season 38-28 in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday.
Both teams scored four tries each for bonus points, but it was the pressure kicking of flyhalf Bernard Foley that got the Waratahs home in a tight contest.
It was a much improved performance by the Waratahs after a week of soul searching following their losing performance at home to the Western Force in last weekend’s season opener.
Wallaby Kurtley Beale was a star performer for the Waratahs, scoring a try off a Bernard Foley break, then setting up a try for Stephen Hoiles with a skilful chip-kick and regather.
The Rebels, who rocked the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch last weekend, were on course to beat both last season’s finalists when they drew level at 28-28 with 14 minutes to go after a try by replacement winger Sefenaia Naivalu, but Foley broke through two tackles and sent Beale racing over for the clinching converted try with seven minutes left and then kicked a 78th-minute penalty to ensure the victory.
Foley finished with 15 points from three conversions and three penalties.
“We were disappointing in the physicality area last week, so tonight that was a big focus for us,” Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis said. “The most pleasing thing for us is that we made a lot of errors, but we scrambled well and stuck to our game plan.”
Powerful Fijian winger Taqele Naiyaravoro scored two tries, but he blotted his performance when he left the Waratahs a man down at a crucial time when he was sent to the sin bin for intentionally knocking the ball over his own in-goal area.
While Naiyaravoro was off the field, the Rebels drew level and the Waratahs had to work overtime to keep them out with the home crowd cheering their team on.
“That was a tough game, we knew it was going to be and credit to the ‘Tahs, they hung in and really put it on us at the back end,” said skipper Scott Higginbotham, who scored the Rebels’ opening try. “Coming up against a big forward pack like the ‘Tahs you have to make your tackles and there were a few we missed.”
CHIEFS 19, BRUMBIES 17
Aaron Cruden calmly slotted over a penalty with the last kick of the match to hand the Chiefs victory over the Brumbies yesterday.
In a repeat of the 2013 final, the two teams threw everything they had at each other in a typically bruising encounter in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
“It was an awesome effort from the lads,” Chiefs captain Liam Messam said. “It was a big effort, but really controlled. Just pleasing we could finish strong.”
The Chiefs, who opened their season with a 23-18 win over the Blues, jumped out to an early 10-6 lead, the equal biggest margin at any stage of the match, when Charlie Ngatai scored a try, but the Brumbies, fresh from their 47-3 demolition of the Reds last weekend, hit back immediately with a try from Ita Vaea off a rolling maul.
The teams traded penalties back and forth, and the Brumbies led 17-13 with 12 minutes left on the clock.
Cruden, who booted five from five on the night, landed a long-range shot to cut the margin to a point, then converted another after time had run out to clinch the win.
“We’ve just got to learn to close out games,” Brumbies stand-in skipper Nic White said. “I think we tried to close it out too early and the Chiefs were willing to play. We’re proud of the effort, but proud doesn’t get you four points.”
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