Chiefs’ late charge sinks Tahs
31 Mar 2012
SIMON BORCHARDT saw the Chiefs produce a strong second-half showing to beat the Waratahs 30-13 in Hamilton.
The hosts struggled in the first half when they hardly saw the ball, but a drastic change in the possession stakes after the break led to a drastic change of fortune. The Chiefs won the second half 17-3 and will be a bit disappointed not to have got the bonus point.
The Waratahs will also look back on this game with regret, because they had their chances to take control of it, especially in the first 40.
The visitors scored an early try when winger Tom Kingston switched with scrumhalf Brendan McKibbin and managed to place the ball on the line after being tackled. But that was cancelled out two minutes later by Chiefs fullback Robbie Robinson following a strong run by winger Tim Nanai-Williams.
McKibbin kicked a penalty but two from flyhalf Aaron Cruden gave the hosts a fortunate 13-10 lead at the break. The Waratahs had 72% of the possession and 71% of the territory in the first half and spent the last five minutes camped in the Chiefs’ red zone, but desperate defence kept them out.
The Waratahs’ bad luck continued early in the second half when Sonny Bill Williams’s poor grubber bounced off Dave Dennis’s foot into the hands of Richard Kahui, who sent loosehead prop Sona Taumalolo away for his fourth try of the season.
Penalties from McKibbin and Cruden made it 23-13, before the Chiefs sealed the win with 12 minutes to go when a strong shove from the forwards allowed Sam Cane to intercept the ball from the back of the Waratahs scrum. The replacement flank found scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who sent No 6 Liam Messam away for the try.
Lelia Masaga thought he’d scored the Chiefs’ bonus-point try on the 75-minute mark, but the substitute was penalised for shoving a defender who didn’t have the ball. With time up, the hosts had one last chance to launch an attack, from their 22m line, but opted to boot the ball into touch and take the four points.
15 Comments
31 Mar 2012, 08:43 am
Terrible when rugby commentators do not know the laws of the game, downward pressure in scoring a try was taken out of the law books about ten years ago. You only have to touch the ball ingoal to score, when are they going to get it right.
31 Mar 2012, 08:43 am
I’m a Chiefs fan but I picked the Waratahs to win. I know I know, there is a special circle in hell reserved just for traitors like me, but I just had the hunch that the Chiefs would come up short. I am of course hoping that my hunch is wrong; it’s not like I want the Chiefs to lose!
31 Mar 2012, 09:10 am
Man I really dislike this Sydney mob with there manicured stuble and sculpted hair,the game is half an hour old and Ashleigh Coopers hair has not budged a mil.
31 Mar 2012, 09:27 am
C’mon Chiefs, keep me on top of the Aussie log, please mate!
31 Mar 2012, 09:32 am
@Todd W(Todd W)-2: Oh dear Todd. I think the Chiefs are a logical and emotional choice. As was my pick for the Cheetahs! Go Chiefs, lets make it 3/3!!
31 Mar 2012, 09:34 am
alisona taumalolo, among the top try scorers! More tries than habana!
31 Mar 2012, 09:36 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-6: Coenie also pushed his tally up to 2 today!
31 Mar 2012, 09:51 am
so quotas claims another victim – Johan Botha off to Australia to captain a franchise there for the next 3 years … thx corupt CSA and your quota system … ffs (pfff Robin Peterson wtf??) – k@k country this
31 Mar 2012, 09:53 am
Waratahs continue to infringe, when is a ref going to give a penalty try against these cheats
31 Mar 2012, 09:53 am
@grant10(grant100)-8: Have to agree. Botha is 3 times the man Biff thinks he is
31 Mar 2012, 09:56 am
Botha was a good cricketer until they banned his one delivery. Since then he’s been an “almost there” type of cricketer.
Having said that, Robin P will always be an “almost there” type of player too. As will Ontong.
I’d rather have Duminy as an extra player. He can bowl just as well as the other 3, and bats way better. Stick Tahir in if you need a spinner.
31 Mar 2012, 10:15 am
Its 30 not 23
31 Mar 2012, 10:19 am
@grant10(grant100)-8:
once again you don’t let the facts get in the way of your bigotry…
both he and csa have said this in no way means his protea career is finished…
botha asked to be released from his contract so he could captain south australia… he wants the experience of playing in aus domestic cricket…
expect him back for the next one day world cup… with plenty of aus experience under his arm…
a very clever long-term plan by gary and johan…
31 Mar 2012, 10:24 am
Some of the Chiefs players were wearing boots a lovely shade of pink that would go great with the Bulls outfits today
lol.
31 Mar 2012, 11:23 am
Botha is average.
Domestic cricket is where he belongs.
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