VIDEO: Tahs steal a march in Aussie thriller

SUPER RUGBY MATCH REPORT: Bernard Foley scored the match-winning try nine minutes from time, as the Waratahs stole a march on the Rebels in the race to top the Australian conference.

The Waratahs’ captain’s intercept try gave them a 31-26 win and ensured his team has a four-point lead at the top of the Aussie conference, with two round of league action remaining.

The Tahs came back from trailing 17-26 with just over 10 minutes remaining – the two-try (14-point) blitz sealing the deal.

The game ended in thrilling fashion, with the Tahs winning a turnover on their try-line and then pick-and-driving for two minutes to run out the clock.

The Rebels dominated the second-half, except for those two intercepts that cost them the game.

Without their two biggest stars in Israel Folau and Michael Hooper, the Waratahs squandered a 17-10 half-time lead to trail 17-26 – the tries to Ned Hanigan and Bernard Foley swung the pendulum back the way of the men in sky blue.

The Waratahs are now on 39 competition points, four clear of the Rebels, with two matches remaining – in Sydney against the Sunwolves and Brumbies.

By comparison, the Rebels have a slightly more difficult run-in to the play-offs – with the Reds and Highlanders in the coming weeks.

“We’ve got to take it week by week,” said Waratahs captain Bernard Foley.

“We found ourselves in a real grind and it was pleasing the guys fought out of it.”

Reece Hodge put the home side ahead just minutes into the contest, converting a penalty kick for a 3-0 lead.

All the promise faded when Rebels centre Billy Meakes was shown a yellow card and it soon saw the visitors in front as Nick Phipps found Kurtley Beale, who passed to Taqele Naiyaravoro who scored in the left corner.

The Rebels didn’t make the best of their possessions in the first half, although Meakes did return and make the assist in their only try of the half – as he found Dane Haylett-Petty, who burst through the line to score and lock the scores at 10-10 just after half hour.

With better game management the Rebels would have gone into half-time at that score but they chased another try and were caught on the counter-attack as Foley helped his side regain the ball then found wing Alex Newsome free on the right wing.

Newsome drew in the last defenders, then found Miller on his inside, the latter then ran in to score a breathless try and see his side ahead at half-time.

The Rebels, from the outset of the second half, took the game to the Tahs – scrumhalf Michael Ruru sneaking over in the 43rd minute to tie the game.

With the Rebels putting the foot down in attack, the Waratahs started to concede ground and penalties, with Hodge kicking three penalties to see his side up 26-17 at the hour.

Then came the double blitz and it was game over.

Man of the match: Michael Ruru provided a great service to the Rebels’ backs and scored a crucial try early in the second half. The standout player for the Rebels was centre Billy Meakes – who made some crucial spot tackles and his offloading was of the highest order, especially the one that set up the try for Dane Haylett-Petty. Kurtley Beale was not flawless, but at times he was at his most creative best. Bernard Foley was the calming influence, which gave direction to the Waratahs and he scored a crucial intercept try with less than 10 minutes remaining, which gave the Waratahs the win. He gets our award.

The scorers:

For the Rebels:
Tries: D Haylett-Petty, Ruru
Cons: Hodge 2
Pens: Hodge 4

For the Waratahs:
Tries: Naiyaravoro, Miller, Hanigan, Foley
Cons: Foley 4
Pens: Foley

Yellow card: Bill Meakes (Rebels, 15 – cynical foul, illegally playing ball in ruck near his own tryline)

You may want to listen to this:

https://soundcloud.com/rugby365/podcast-when-players-confronted-the-bok-coach

Teams:

Rebels: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Tom English (captain), 12 Billy Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Reece Hodge, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Ben Daley.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Fereti Sa’aga, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Lopeti Timani, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Sefa Naivalu

Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Cam Clark, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Bernard Foley (Captain), 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Will Miller, 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Tom Staniforth, 20 Brad Wilkin, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Alex Newsome.

Referee: Nicholas Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Graham Cooper (Australia), Jordan Way (Australia)
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)