The New South Wales Waratahs scored three first-half tries, largely against the run of play, to build a 26-22 bonus-point win over the Wellington Hurricanes in Super 14 rugby Saturday.
Wallabies Sam Norton-Knight, Lote Tuqiri and Lachlan Turner scored tries as the Waratahs overcame territorial disadvantage to lead 19-5 at halftime. Robert Horne then scored a fourth try in the second half as New South Wales quelled a Wellington comeback.
”It’s very important to win these games away from home,” Waratahs captain Phil Waugh said.
”We did everything to lose the game after we got away to a good start but the boys hung in there and we did well to get there in the end. We played a lot in our own half which showed our kicking game wasn’t up to scratch …”
Wellington spent more than 75% of the first half and 70% of the match in Waratahs territory but lacked structure and made too many handling errors to turn their advantage into points.
The Waratahs broke out of defence to score a brilliant try to Norton-Knight, launched by a midfield break from Horne, after 10 minutes and increased their lead when Tuqiri outflanked the defence on a fast, wide-angled run 12 minutes later.
Turner ran almost 90 metres to score a vital try 13 minutes before halftime when an aimless attacking kick by Hurricanes and All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu bounced off the foot of Waratahs center Kurtley Beale
and into Turners’ arms.
The Hurricanes then sharpened their attacking game and scored tries through flyhalf Dan Kirkpatrick and hooker Dane Coles, both making Super 14 debuts, to trail 19-15 after 67 minutes.
In a sudden spate of scoring, New South Wales restored its lead with a try to Horne off a crossfield kick by Beale and the Hurricanes responded through All Blacks winger Hosea Gear to trail 26-22. Although
they continued to attack, the Hurricanes were unable to bridge the gap.
New South Wales referee Stuart Dickinson tolerated systematic professional fouls from the Waratahs and, as tempers boiled over, ugly incidents soured the match. Waugh suffered a gashed head from a boot in
a ruck and Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush was trampled in incidents likely to lead to citings.
”It was frustrating that we only got short-arm penalties when guys were clearly off their feet and playing the ball,” Hurricanes captain Rodney So’oialo said. – Sapa-AP