After a terrible round 9, Australian Super Rugby bounced back in round 10, with wins for The Waratahs, Rebels and Reds keeping the conference wide open.
Australian Super Rugby Conference Review: Round 10
The Hurricanes vs NSW Waratahs
Score: 24-29; Venue: Westpac Stadium
In one of the most entertaining and talent laden games so far this season in Super Rugby, with The Waratahs eventually prevailing 29-24 to end The Hurricanes unbeaten start to the season; this game had everything, but what it had above all else was two of the best teams in world rugby playing close to their best to produce a brilliant, open, attacking game. Coming into the game off the back of a sloppy, ugly loss to The Stormers, The Tahs knew that they would need to play a nearly perfect game to halt a Hurricanes team that at times even in this game looked unstoppable. That task seemed like it may be too much even in the opening minutes, with Ardie Savea breaking a couple of tackles in the second minute before streaking clear for what seemed like the opening score of the game, only to drop the ball over the line under no pressure whatsoever (although after that he did go toe to toe with Michael Hooper for 80 minutes, so it clearly all evens itself out when you’re that talented).
While that reprieve was gratefully accepted by the visitors, The Hurricanes continued to look dangerous throughout the first 10 minutes, with Nehe Milner-Skudder looking particularly threatening with a few jaw-dropping moments in attack (seriously though, where do these guys keep coming from?! He’s in a team filled with superstars, but still stands out!!) including one ridiculous run where he beat Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale and Michael Hooper in about five metres of space. Despite the early onslaught, The Waratahs defence held after the Savea Jr. break, with Wycliff Palu in particular standing out by putting in some absolutely thunderous hits to stymie the home side’s momentum. After weathering the early storm, The Tahs took an unlikely lead as Peter Betham crashed over after some excellent phase play by the visitors; with Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley dictating play while keeping a tough Hurricanes defence guessing as they were unable to target one particular player or side of the attack. After a successful Foley conversion The Hurricanes went back on the attack, with The Tahs eventually succumbing in the after some sharp work by TJ Perenara at the back of a five metre scrum led to Conrad Smith going over in the corner. What followed was an astonishing reminder of just how good Beauden Barrett is as he scored nine points in the next two minutes, first converting Smith’s try from the sideline before chipping and chasing from his own 22 from virtually the ensuing kickoff. Of course, the ball bounced up and into Barrett’s hands and he proceeded to streak away from Betham and Israel Folau (showing off his seemingly unnatural speed) to score. He then rounded off his remarkable one man show by converting his own try from the opposite sideline. That couple of minutes did in some ways reflect the game perfectly though, with star after star producing moments of inspiration before seamlessly falling back into the team structure.
The Waratahs recovered well from this rapid one-two punch though, as their continued pressure in defence forced a dangerous offload from an otherwise solid Brad Shields. Between them Hooper and Beale were able to recover the loose ball and after nearly 10 minutes of sustained attacking inside The Hurricanes 22, Will Skelton crossed thanks to typically smart play from Foley, who put it on a plate for the second row/goliath after a quick switch of play (again aided by the fact that Beale standing at first receiver on the other side drew the defence’s attention away from the 10) that caught out The Hurricanes. It was Skelton’s first try at this level, he’s already scored two in international rugby, and helped underscore what was maybe the best game of his career thus far as he continues to improve both his reading of the game and his workrate, a fact that proved vital later in the game, as he was still able to get over the gainline in attack and turnover ball in defence in a tense last 10 minutes where last season he rarely started and when he did would be one of the first players replaced.
With the score now 14-12 to the home side, Ma’a Nonu took his turn in a starring role, slicing through The Tahs defensive line to set his side up in the 22 before then firing the key pass that put Ardie Savea outside the defence. This time the young flanker was simply asked to assist rather than put the ball down himself, with his pass finding Shields who slipped past the despairing Nick Phipps to score and make it 19-12. A missed conversion kept The Tahs within a score and, as the hooter sounded for half time, that proved telling. With The Hurricanes looking to launch one last raid from inside their own half before the break, Barrett’s no look pass, which would have put Julian Savea in space down the sideline, was picked off by Betham who strolled under the posts to level the score following a simple conversion; it was a potential 14 point swing that was maybe the biggest turning point in the game. Had The Hurricanes indeed counterattacked and scored in that play it would have been hard to see a way back into the game for The Tahs despite their obvious quality.
The second 40 started with a back and forth arm wrestle between the two sides, with patient, methodical attack met with disciplined defence. It again took a moment of individual class to break open this period of play, with Hooper taking an errant throw at the back of the lineout before bursting between two would be defenders before outstripping the cover defence and stepping Julian Savea. He was eventually taken down a couple of metres out, but after a few more phases Folau would cross in the corner after smartly evading Savea. It was The Tahs first lead since the first 20 minutes and was decisively extended to beyond one score for the first time in the contest just five minutes later after Foley slotted a penalty from in front. With a ten point lead to defend, The Tahs somewhat took their foot of the accelerator, instead choosing to play territory and defend their line for the remaining 20 minutes. It was a bold strategy given The Hurricanes potent attack, but one that proved correct, with The Hurricanes only able to get over the line once more through a bloodied TJ Perenara, who had come of second best in a contest with Skelton’s size 19 boots in the first half. However, Barrett missed the conversion and The Hurricanes were unable to get back inside The Tahs territory, with the visitors seeing the game out to win 29-24. The significance of the victory can’t be understated for The Waratahs, who now keep themselves in contact with The Brumbies at the top of the Australian Conference, while also well and truly put the loss to The Stormers last week behind them. They have now won three of their last four, with two quality wins against The Hurricanes and Brumbies. Of course, it should come as no surprise given the quality of their squad, but it seems as if The Waratahs are well and truly back in the race after an inconsistent start.
A.C.T Brumbies vs Melbourne Rebels
Score: 8-13; Venue: GIO Stadium
The Brumbies came into the weekend in a commanding position in the Australian Conference; despite being upset by The Blues last time out they were still eight seven points ahead of The Waratahs and a further three ahead of The Rebels. In addition, they were playing the aforementioned Rebels at home, where they hadn’t lost a in their last 11, while The Waratahs were playing away at the unbeaten Hurricanes. It therefore seemed reasonable to assume that following the weekend’s action, The Brumbies would have stretched their lead at the top of the conference to over ten points with just six games remaining, giving themselves an excellent chance to book a playoff spot. Of course that isn’t how events transpired, with The Brumbies themselves being upset at home and The Waratahs claiming a huge scalp in Wellington. They now only lead The Waratahs by three and The Rebels by seven while both have a game in hand over the Canberra team, while The Brumbies themselves will welcome a Highlanders team on a three game winning streak to GIO next week.
While losing their seemingly commanding position will be a big worry, the bigger issue may be the injuries that have turned what looked like a solid, deep squad into the mismatch, inexperienced almost threadbare 23 that were named on Saturday. Playing without stalwarts Nic White, Matt Toomua and Tevita Kurandrani, as well as moving Henry Speight and Christian Lealiifano around in cover meant that only Joe Tomane and Robbie Coleman were in their usual starting positions in the backline. It was evidenced in their play, as despite being given good territory and possession by a near full-strength pack, they often seemed devoid of ideas and lacking the structure and tempo normally associated with their attack. The 10-12 combination of Toomua and Lealiifano works well as neither is a pure fly half or centre, yet in tandem they complement each other effectively with well-balanced skillsets. In other words, when one or the other is forced to be the sole playmaker, they struggle, as was the case for Lealiifano on Saturday against a well-organised Rebels defence. This was highlighted as it took until after the hooter had sounded at the end of the first half for The Brumbies to finally get any points, with Speight crossing in the corner for his first try of the season (a pretty remarkable fact frankly, he hasn’t quite been the force of nature he can be at times this season, but has still been better than that try tally would suggest by some distance) after quick hands from Robbie Coleman and the multi-talented Scott Fardy. However, that was preceded by 13 points from a Rebels team that continues to improve and impress in equal measure, with two players who embody those two qualities combining for a lightening quick opening try. With The Rebels already 3-0 up thanks to an early Mike Harris penalty, Nic Stirzaker shot through the line off the back of a midfield scrum before throwing a perfect pass to Sefenaia Naivalu (still only his fourth start…) to exploded onto the ball before; racing clear to score. This gave The Rebels a 10-0 lead inside 15 minutes, allowing them to cede possession to the home side and instead rely on their defence, which has been good almost throughout the competition and was so again on Saturday. Sean McMahon and Stirzaker in particular stood out; though for different reasons: McMahon is an absolute tackling machine in the Hooper mould, with the athleticism to tackle centres in space while also destroying forwards around the ruck. Stirzaker on the other hand was an absolute pest, tormenting poor Michael Dowsett in his first start at this level and slowing otherwise clean ball.
In the second half, that defence, combined with the poor weather again limited The Brumbies attack, this time to just three points instead of five, with The Rebels seeing the game out with the confidence of a side that has become more than the plucky underdogs they were last year. While much of the immediate reaction in the media (and in this recap) has been focused on The Brumbies, the real story here is The Rebels, who went from being a punchline in their first three year of existence to being the aforementioned plucky underdogs last year to being a consistent, capable unit this year. They are an interesting collection of castoffs, unheralded contributors and exciting youngsters, with that mix, combined with their move away from some more infamous players, making them eminently likable as a team. As they continue to gain momentum and points, they are now have a (very) outside shot at topping the conference. They are within striking difference of both The Waratahs and Brumbies and though I wouldn’t recommend putting any money on it anytime soon, the fact that the previous sentence even makes any logical sense is proof of the progress this team has made.
Western Force vs DHL Stormers
Score 6-13; Venue: nib Stadium
The opening day victory away at the defending champion Waratahs seems a long, long, long way away for The Force (in fact it really seems like it occurred in an alternate universe), who lost another close game and now sit bottom of the table. They picked up a losing bonus point and had the lion’s share of territory and possession. Again! Yet again though poor finishing and a last of killer instinct came back to haunt The Force, who have now lost eight in a row many in the exact fashion they last on Saturday (a point Ben McCalman admitted after the game), this time though there was an extra kick in the teeth, with debutant Ross Haylett-Petty held up over the line in the dying seconds. On an individual level they was also very little of note, although on the positive side they may have captain Matt Hodgson back next week. The negative? They have The Chiefs away. Based on how they’re playing at the moment, a losing bonus point that has become their trademark (they have four in their last 5 games) would be akin to an upset.
Free State Cheetahs vs Queensland Reds
Score: 17-18(!!!); Venue: Free State Stadium
How do you round off what had until that point been a pretty good weekend for the Australian Conference? A win for a perpetually battered and bruised Reds side in South Africa. That’s how. While it has been a long, painful season (physically and mentally) so far for The Reds, this was a welcome, albeit brief, ray of sunshine. Having started the season looking especially terrible, The Reds have incrementally improved as the weeks have gone by, going from a certifiable train wreck to a semi-competitive, hardworking group. This may have only been The Cheetahs, hardly world-beaters themselves, but Saturday’s result is reflective of that improvement. However, for much of the first half it seemed like their typical failings this year would come back to haunt them once again, with controlled possession producing little of note going forward, while they were caught out by a fortuitous bounce and some quick thinking that saw Ryno Benjamin score in the corner after a Cheetahs kick was partially charged down. Joe Pietersen converted and, along with an earlier penalty, gave the home side a 10-0 lead approaching half time.
However, some late Reds pressure led to a successful James O’Connor penalty to give them something to show for their industry in the first 40 and they stayed on the front foot as the second half got under well, this time with much greater success as O’Connor danced through the defensive line before finding replacement Adam Korczyk who raced away to score within five minutes of the restart. This visibly lifted the side, which began to display the quick, incisive phase play that characterised the team at the start of the decade. It was through this newfound speed and accuracy that The Reds took the lead for the first time in the contest, with O’Connor once again instrumental reaching through a despairing tackle to offload to Samu Kerevi who merely had to fall over the line. A missed conversion kept the lead at five, which proved significant when only a few minutes later when The Reds predictably conceded an unnecessary penalty from which The Cheetahs kicked to the corner scored following a driving maul. Pietersen slotted the conversion. 20 minutes left and normal service resumed. This Reds side has proved dogged through a tumultuous season though, and continued to press looking for their first win since the second week of the season. The decisive blow came from the most unlikely of sources.
For nearly the entire season Nick Frisby has looked out of his depth, usually a replacement scrumhalf, Quade Cooper’s injury issue have meant he’s started six games as the primary playmaker and, even with an improved Will Genia beside him, has failed in leading a generally young and inexperienced Reds backline. This really isn’t his fault (how many backup 9’s would you trust in that position), with the team’s structure largely based around Cooper and his mercurial persona and skillset, but has meant that he’s been the one hung out to dry. Therefore it was a fantastic moment on Saturday when Genia found him standing back in the pocket with six minutes left, with Frisby keeping his cool to slot the three pointer under significant pressure. Of course, things are never that simple with this Reds side, and when The Cheetahs won a last minute penalty it seemed all their hard work would once again be for nothing, only to see Pietersen strike the post in his first miss of the game. Man of the match James O’Connor warrants special mention; with the World Cup fast approaching he appeared to be inching back to form before a breakout performance in Bloemfontein. He is a very good traditional winger – he’s solid under the high ball and in defence with an effective kicking game, while also possessing excellent speed and elusiveness – but it’s when he drifts off his wing and into first or second receiver against broken defensive lines that he becomes truly special, with superior awareness and hands allowing him to fully exploit any weakness. It is this trait that lifts him well above potential rivals wing rivals in green and gold and the fact he is once again using it effectively must delight Michael Cheika. He adds to the feeling of youth in this Reds team (nine players aged 21 or under have played for them this season) and all the positives and negatives that entails, but while at times earlier in the season that inexperience made them basically uncompetitive, many of the kids in this team have been forced to grow up fast; it’ll be interesting to see what they produce over the next seven games.
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