Wallaby fullback Mat Rogers helped himself to 23 points as the New South Wales Waratahs maintained their winning start to the Super 12 rugby season with a 48-14 thumping of South Africa’s Sharks in Sydney on Saturday.
The former rugby league international scored a brilliant solo try to go with six conversions and two penalty goals as the Waratahs locked up maximum points to join Australian rivals the ACT Brumbies at the top of the standings.
The Waratahs, bidding for their first-ever Super 12 title, followed up last week’s impressive away win over the Canterbury Crusaders to control their home match against the floundering Sharks.
NSW dominated territory and possession to lead 27-7 at half-time, but failed to go on with their first-half dominance in the second half.
The Sharks, who lost 23-28 to the Northern Bulls in Pretoria last weekend, were guilty of kicking away possession and not allowing their attacking backline enough scoring opportunities.
The South Africans opened the scoring with a charge-down try to former Scottish international fly-half Gregor Townsend in the opening minutes but it was not until the 75th minute that they registered their next points in a try to replacement centre Trevor Halstead.
Inside-centre Butch James again sailed close to the wind with his controversial arms-free tackling technique and was lucky to stay on the field midway through the second half for a hurtling hit on replacement NSW hooker Adam Freier for which he was cautioned by referee Kelvin Deaker.
James was sent off for a late tackle during last week’s loss to the Bulls.
It was the Sharks’ first match of their four-match Australian road-trip and it only gets tougher with a match against the unbeaten Brumbies in Canberra next weekend.
Young fly-half Tim Donnelly was again impressive for the Waratahs with his composure and attacking variations and he scored a brilliantly-taken charge-down try in the 15th minute to get the home side’s first of six tries.
NSW dominated the lineouts with their new lock combination of Wallabies Justin Harrison and Dan Vickerman and they won five of the Sharks’ throw-ins. – Sapa-AFP