Tahs clout terrible Cheetahs
3 Apr 2010
The Waratahs went to the top of the Super 14 table with a 33-17 victory over the Cheetahs in Sydney.
A miserable weekend for the South African teams continued, as the Cheetahs were comprehensively outplayed by a side that seem to be improving weekly.
The Tahs’ second half of fixtures are considerably tougher than their first, and it remains to be seen if their youthful side have the stomach for the fight, but they’ll be confident of progressing to the play-offs.
The Cheetah looked every bit a side low on confidence, the patent lack of leadership due to Juan Smith’s unavailability, poor defence (they missed 27 tackles) and tactical naivety meant they never looked like winning. They’ll continue to be pummeled if they play like this, and there’s nothing to suggest they’ll improve in the weeks ahead.
Steady rain prior to kick-off muddied the field and made handling difficult, which didn’t suit the Tahs, who had scored 26 tries coming into this match, a fair number of those from expansive moves.
Their tactical versatility would be tested, and they passed that test convincingly, exhibiting solid set phase work and varying between direct drives up the middle and precise tactical kicking.
When they did shift the ball, their passes rarely floated further than three metres, and their ability to boss the tackle point and their superb support play asked questions the Cheetahs had no rebuttal to.
The Cheetahs, conversely, never adapted. They were being bullied in contact, and when they attempted to move the ball they often did so from well behind the advantage line.
Furthermore, they kicked poorly, seldom finding space behind the back three, and when they did they lacked the intensity in the chase to pressure the receiver. Their defence from structured attack wasn’t much better, and fundamental errors here continue to undermine their challenge.
The Tahs were happy to patiently work their way into the Cheetahs’ red zone and profited from ill discipline, Daniel Halangahu banking two penalties.
Berrick Barnes was then the catalyst for their first try. The midfielder ghosted through a gaping hole in the defensive line and set in motion a surge that was halted five metres short. The ball was recycled quickly and sent through the hands to Rob Horne who scored. Halangahu converted and added a penalty shortly thereafter for a 16-0 lead.
Naas Olivier’s penalty got the Cheetahs on the board, but the Tahs scored a decisive try after the half-time siren – Benn Robinson burrowing over from close range and Halangahu converting to give his side a 23-3 lead going down the tunnel.
The Tahs had established a 20 point lead in testing conditions, so when the rain ceased just before the restart they would have felt confident of building on a clinical first half.
That confidence wasn’t unfounded, as they blitzed the Cheetahs – Al Baxter and Kurtley Beale scoring, the latter securing the four-try bonus point.
That effectively sealed the result with 25 minutes remaining, and it became an exercise in damage limitation for the Cheetahs.
But the Tahs got loose, robbing them of the opportunity to put 50 plus on their bumbling opponents. The Cheetahs capitalised on their defensive lethargy, scoring through WP Nel and Corne Uys, but it was no more than a consolation for a diabolical performance.
By Ryan Vrede
68 Comments
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3 Apr 2010, 14:27 pm
@KZN King Shark: Disappointing scoreline, I always like to watch the Cheetahs. Without Juan Smith it was always going to be an awful game.
3 Apr 2010, 14:36 pm
@KZN King Shark:
Boom Boom.
Now that sharkie is just plain ****.
3 Apr 2010, 14:44 pm
The Stormers, Bulls and Cheetahs losses put the poor performances of the Lions in perspective and shows that
South African rugby is not a strong as supporters believe.
The Stormers are in real danger to be hammered by the Blues
if they don’t improve their standard of play.
3 Apr 2010, 14:51 pm
@KZN King Shark: 47.
210. cane :
March 27th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Well done Sharkies.
That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
8)
3 Apr 2010, 15:02 pm
So the Tahs go top ?!
Lucky against the Blues, dominant versus the Bulls.
Will they wont they, the PushmePullyou team of the competition.
And when even Al ‘Scaryface’ Baxter scores his 1st try in his 100th S14 match, you gotta ask whether the moons and planets have finally aligned for Sydneys Rah-Rahs ?
3 Apr 2010, 15:02 pm
Brent didn’t the Canes loose to the Cheetahs?? NZ rugby is at a all time low … one lucky win by the blues doesn’t make you the best team in the world
3 Apr 2010, 15:04 pm
@NZRUGBYISKAK: Is that you JC? And the Force are walking bonus points. Why do people insist on building themselves up for a fall?
3 Apr 2010, 15:11 pm
@Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
I dunno, Ratel, why do you ?
3 Apr 2010, 15:25 pm
@NZRUGBYISKAK:
oh, tee hee, you sooooooooooo funny
a little humorous, perhaps, not so clever tho.
collated team scores S14 2010 ?
1. NZ – 96pts
2. SA – 76pts
3. Aus – 73pts (4 teams only).
3 Apr 2010, 15:28 pm
Panther thats a k@k way of looking at it … SA teams must fill quotas – your teams don’t. Lions team = full of them
3 Apr 2010, 15:39 pm
@NZRUGBYISKAK: The biggest quota in SA franchises is for people with your IQ level.
3 Apr 2010, 15:41 pm
coherence? what? thats lame dude
3 Apr 2010, 15:42 pm
Coherence
Gee, wish Id said that. Bravo !
3 Apr 2010, 15:48 pm
@NZRUGBYISKAK: It’s nothing personal.
You just need to improve your intelligence, because the rule in SA Rugby is that no coach or administrator may have an IQ greater than that of “NZRUGBYISKAK”. That is the official stipulation for all unions.
3 Apr 2010, 16:45 pm
and to think the Sharks lost to this rubbish,,,
3 Apr 2010, 16:52 pm
@Thistle: and to think they will again and again and again …
3 Apr 2010, 21:03 pm
@SCAR: Hmmmm
5 Apr 2010, 04:14 am
The score was actually 40-17.
The journalism on this site really is 5th rate.
How come half the articles blame the ref in the headlines but when a SA ref stuffs up (Kaplan) there isn’t a whisper. You are supposed to be oobjective.
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