Rampant Chiefs bring Waratahs back to earth, Force stun Reds

WRAP: The Waratahs are losing touch with the top six after suffering a six-tries-to-two Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton, whilst the Force shocked the Reds in Brisbane.

The Waratahs have crashed back to earth with a crushing 14-42 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton.

After snapping an eight-match losing streak against the Brumbies in Canberra, the Waratahs travelled to Waikato chasing another hoodoo-busting win to regain a place in the competition’s top six.

Instead, Dan McKellar’s men will return to Sydney with tails between their legs after leaving the coach once again shaking his head in anguish on Saturday.

The Tahs last won in Hamilton in 2014 – the year the franchise won their only title – and had high hopes of another famous victory after taking down the then-ladder-leading Chiefs in Sydney last year.

But the visitors were never truly in the contest after heading to the sheds trailing 24-7 at the break.

The Chiefs jagged the first try of the night when Waratahs fullback Sid Harvey, a goalkicking hero in last week’s 30-28 win over the Brumbies, was unable to clean up a probing Xavier Rie kick as winger Kyren Taumoefolau pounced to score.

A Josh Jacomb penalty extended the lead to 8-0 before the Waratahs had their only joy of the opening half when Harvey fielded a 20-metre pass from Max Jorgensen to cross in the left corner.

Two more strikes from hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and centre Quinn Tupaea, and another Jacomb penalty earned the Chiefs their commanding 18-point half-time lead.

Not even the introduction of Wallabies pair Jake Gordon and Folau Fainga’a straight after the interval could swing back the momentum as Tupaea crossed again before flank Samipeni Finau secured the Chiefs a bonus point and third spot on the table.

Pete Samu bagged a consolation try as the Waratahs slumped to eighth on the ladder nearing the halfway point of the season, before the Chiefs had the final say through another five-pointer from Taumoefolau.

The Western Force have trounced the Queensland Reds, defying the last-minute scratching of NRL recruit Zac Lomax to notch a much-needed Super Rugby Pacific bonus-point win.

Saturday’s 42-19 result at Suncorp Stadium came after convert Lomax was ruled out less than an hour before kick-off due to hamstring tightness.

That mattered little to the visitors, who finally converted a good start into victory after four losses this season despite leading at halftime.

The Western Force have trounced the Reds, defying the last-minute scratching of NRL recruit Zac Lomax to notch a much-needed bonus-point win.

Saturday’s 42-19 result at Suncorp Stadium came after convert Lomax was ruled out less than an hour before kick-off due to hamstring tightness.

That mattered little to the visitors, who finally converted a good start into victory after four losses this season despite leading at halftime.

They improved to 2-5 while the Reds fell to 4-3, their second-straight loss dropping them to sixth when victory could have shot them into third place.

The Force had lost 11 of their last 12 games and 22 of their last 24 on the road, while the Reds had won nine of their last 11 encounters.

Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson excelled up against Reds No.10 and Wallabies rival Carter Gordon, running incisive lines and kicking potently both in-play and off the tee.

Argentinian lock Franco Molina, in for injured Force skipper Jeremy Williams, had a night out with a first-half double and several clutch line-out plays before rolling over for his third try after the final hooter.

Force fullback Mac Grealy also impressed against his former side, scoring a try after a terrific build-up, while his opposite, Jock Campbell, was one of many Reds who struggled.

Teenage Reds winger Treyvon Pritchard lasted less than 10 minutes into his starting debut, failing his Head Injury Assessment after copping a knock when making a cover tackle.

Force prop Tom Robertson followed him soon after when he was caught out of position, tackling Tim Ryan.

And Force winger Darby Lancaster limped off with a lower leg injury after leaping over Campbell to catch a Donaldson bomb and put his side ahead 28-12.

A late 80-metre effort, finished by Reds winger Filipo Daugunu, looked likely to deny the Force their first bonus-point win over the Reds since 2012 before Molina’s third after the siren.

Lomax watched it all from the sidelines after pulling up sore following Thursday’s main session in the latest twist to the winger’s rollercoaster year.

*See all Saturday’s scores and scorers below!

Chiefs 42-14 NSW Waratahs

The scorers

For the Chiefs
Tries: Taumoefolau (2), Taukei’aho, Tupaea (2), Finau
Cons: Jacomb 3
Pens: Jacomb 2

For the Waratahs
Tries: Harvey, Samu
Cons: Harvey

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Leroy Carter, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Kaylum Boshier, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Reuben O’Neill, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Profitt, 18 George Dyer, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Simon Parker, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Kyle Brown, 23 Daniel Sinkinson.

Waratahs: 15 Sid Harvey, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Triston Reilly, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Max Jorgensen, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Teddy Wilson, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Clem Halaholo, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (captain), 3 Dan Botha, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 1 Tom Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Jack Barrett, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Jack Bowen, 23 George Poolman.

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glenn Newman

Reds 19-42 Western Force

The scorers: 

For the Reds:
Tries: Ryan, Brial, Daugunu
Cons: Campbell 2

For Western Force
Tries: Molina 3, Grealy, Paenga-Amosa, Lancaster
Cons: Donaldson 6

Teams:

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Treyvon Pritchard, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Tim Ryan.

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 13 George Bridge, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Jack Daly, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (captain), 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Zac Lomax.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly