Highlander Suicide in Sydney
SUPER RUGBY MATCH REPORT: In the quarterfinal in Sydney between the Waratahs and the Highlanders of Dunedin, the Highlanders were leading 23-6 and seemingly cruising to victory. Then they struck a yellow card and sank to a 30-23 defeat as the Waratahs sailed into the semifinals.
It was astonishing.
At half-time the score was 23-6. The Waratahs won the second half 24-0.
The yellow card will be a part of rugby lore in Sydney and down in angry Otago. The Waratahs were attacking and prop Sekope Kepu was rumbling towards the line. Waisake Naholo tackled Kepu high but Kepu got away and was approaching the goal-line when Naholo raced back and tackled him high a second time. In the 10 minutes that Naholo was absent, the Waratahs scored three converted tries to lead 27-23 – perhaps the most crucial 10 minutes in 123 Super Rugby matches in 2018.
Not that the Highlanders gave up. They attacked again and again, kept out by the zestful Waratahs defence and their own errors.
What a thrilling match as it switched gear from foregone conclusion to major upset!
Nine points were scored in the first 8 minutes – three penalties, kicked by Bernard Foley when James Lentjes was offside, Lima Sopoaga when Jed Holloway transgressed at a tackle and then again by Foley when Rob Thompson infringed at a tackle.
From a line-out the Highlanders went left. Sopoaga dummied, broke and threw a perfect pass to unmarked Naholo who scored in the right corner. Sopoaga converted, and the Highlanders led 10-6 after 10 minutes. That became 13-6 when Israel Folau was penalised at a tackle.
The Waratahs attacked but the Highlanders won a turnover. The Waratahs attacked and the Highlanders turned over possession again and set up phases, going left and then right till, near the home side’s 22, Thompson broke clean through and, beating two opponents, scored under the posts. 20-6 after 25 minutes.
Naholo had another chance when Sopoaga threw a long pass to him but the defence held till Sopoaga kicked a penalty for a scrum infringement. 23-6 after 33 minutes.
That was the half-time score.
The Waratahs attacked when the Highlanders lost the ball and Foley footed ahead. The Highlanders attacked when Nick Phipps kicked the ball into team-mate Ned Hanigan. From the scrum the Highlanders got close but Taqele Naiyaravoro intercepted and set off down the left till Ben Smith hauled him in from behind. But the Waratahs were attacking and then Naholo was sent off for ten expensive minutes, starting just after 51 minutes.
The Waratahs tapped the second of two successive penalties and went right to Kurtley Beale who passed inside to Foley who scored under the posts, 23-13 after 53 minutes.
The Highlanders overthrew a line-out and Phipps dived on the ball. Beale broke and traced away, giving to Folau on his left and the tall fullback, although ankletapped by Ben Smith, scored on the left. 23-20 after 56 minutes.
On the Waratahs’ 10-metre line, Folau broke and raced ahead. He gave to Phipps who gave to Foley who scored. 27-23 after 16 minutes.
Then Naholo came back.
The only other score in the remaining 19 minutes was a penalty by Foley. 30-23 with 11 minutes to play.
There was lots of Highlander action in those 11 minutes. Shannon Frizell was millimetres short of the line. Paddy Ryan was sent to the sin bin to add to the Highlanders’ attacking. The defence was desperate and knock-ons by Sopoaga and Ben Smith helped the Waratahs’ cause till they got the ball from a scrum and kicked the ball off the field so that the final whistle could sound.
Man of the Match: Despite two wonky passes, our man of the match is Bernard Foley whose tries, goal-kicking, distribution and defence were a major factor in this remarkable victory.
The Scorers:
For Waratahs:
Tries: Foley 2, Folau
Cons: Foley 3
Pens: Foley 3
For Highlanders:
Tries: Naholo, Thompson
Cons: Sopoaga 2
Pens Sopoaga 3
Yellow cards: Waisake Naholo (Highlanders, 51 – High tackle), Paddy Ryan (Highlanders, 72 – Cynicial foul)
Teams:
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Alex Newsome, 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 Cameron Clark, 23 Bryce Hegarty.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon (co-captain), 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Shannon Frizell, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Matt Faddes.
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Will Houston (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
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