Waratahs ride on their first half performance to beat Chiefs
Waratahs have progressed two places up courtesy of their win against the Chiefs at Sydney earlier today.
Waratahs are now placed at 4th place with this being their consecutive win after their humiliating defeat in front of their home crowd when the Cheetahs thrashed them 23 – 3 points.
Waratahs although were edgy particularly during the second half of the game when the Chiefs came back strongly after trailing 20 – 6 at the end of the first half.
Waratahs are on the move since from the start of the match and their first scoring came through their Winger Aka Pakalani in the third minute of the game. This was followed by their Fly Half Kurtley Beale’s conversion to take the score to 7 – 0.
Chiefs replied through their Fly Half Mike Delany scoring his first of the two penalties in the 7th minute of the game. Beale replied for Waratahs by scoring his first penalty of night. The 7-point lead was reduced again when Delany scored his
second penalty of the game in the 15th minute.
Due to some attacking rugby played by the Waratahs the Chiefs felt the pressure and their scrum struggled to hold firm. During the 26th minute, Waratahs played a series of Scrums near to Chiefs Lines, which resulted in Chiefs Prop Nathan While
found committing a foul and a penalty try was awarded to the Waratahs.
White was shown the Yellow card as Waratahs comfortably extend their lead by with the Penalty Try followed by their Fly Half’s second conversion in the evening. With Scrum reduced Waratahs mounted more pressure on Chiefs and Panic started to creep in their
ranks, a glimpse of which can be shown from the fact Full Back Scott Waldrom was replaced by Sona Taumalolo, with Waldrom again called on before the end of the 1st half.
Waratahs scored just before the end of the 1st half with Beale scoring his second penalty to finish the Waratahs half 20 -6.
Interestingly, Waratahs opted to start their second half without the services of their preferred Full Back Phil Waugh who was replaced by Patrick McCutcheon. As it appears, this substitution turn around the Chiefs fortune as they started to built momentum
and started to look like scoring.
Chiefs ultimately produced a try courtesy of their Full Back Tim Nanai – Williams followed by their Fly Half’s conversion in the 57th minute to take the score to 20 – 13.
Later both teams ringed changes to sustain the momentum they have gained. Chiefs efforts were rewarded as Nanai – Williams pull off a penalty goal to reduce the deficit by 4 points. With 7 minutes remaining in the game, Chiefs looked like to closing the
gap. For most of the first half, it appeared that the Waratahs will deny the Chiefs even to secure a bonus point, but Chiefs managed to find their way back.
Even the last minute efforts of Kurtley Beale were not enough to deny Chiefs the Bonus Point they have earned for losing the match with 7points or less. Beale landed his third penalty in the 80th minute of the game to finish the fourth win for
the home side in the season.
For Chiefs things are looking really grim with only two wins coming from the seven games they have played in the season so far. They will be facing the Crusaders challenge at Hamilton after enjoying a bye during the Week Eight of the Super XV. Meanwhile,
Waratahs will be taking on the Western Force next week.
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