The Waratahs earned their first bonus point victory of the 2018 Super Rugby season by beating the Sunwolves 29-50 in Tokyo at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.
The Waratahs have now played six matches in 2018 and have won four, drawn one and lost one. The result moves the Waratahs to within a point of the Australian Conference leading Rebels.
The Sunwolves have played six Super Rugby matches in 2018 and have yet to win a match and they remain last in the standings.
The Waratahs outscored the Sunwolves by seven tries to four so they earn the bonus point from the match.
The two Super Rugby teams have only played once before in Super Rugby and that match ended in a 12-57 victory for the Waratahs.
The damage was done in the first half as the Waratahs led 17-38 at half time but in the second half both teams scored 12 points each.
The Waratahs beat the Brumbies last weekend and the Rebels before that so this is their third straight victory.
Jake Gordon opened the try scoring for the Waratahs after a powerful run by Taqele Naiyaravoro down the wing.
The Sunwolves had strong home support and leapt to their feet moments later when Michael Little sliced through the Waratahs defence on his way to the try line. Little scored and Yu Tamura added the conversion to level the scores.
The Waratahs however added another four tries in the opening half including a second try by Gordon. Bernard Foley converted all five of the Waratahs first half tries.
Former Western Force second rower Sam Wykes also scored for the Japanese side.
In the second half the Waratahs pulled further away when captain Michael Hooper crossed following a line out and maul.
The home side never gave up though and Semisi Masirewa enjoyed a scintillating run which led to a try for the Sunwolves.
The Sunwolves fourth try was scored by Kazuki Himeno while Hooper was in the sin-bin but this turned to be a consolation try as Naiyaravoro crossed for the visitors seventh try in the corner eight minutes before full time.
Foley’;s conversion was the final score and the Waratahs wound down the clock.
Next week in Round 9 the Waratahs host the Reds at the SCG on Saturday while the Sunwolves host the Blues in Tokyo.
Final Score Sunwolves 29 (17) Waratahs 50 (38)
Scorers
Sunwolves
Tries – M. Little, S. Wykes, S. Masirewa, K.Himeno
Pen – Y.Tamura
Con – Y.Tamura 3
Drop –
Cards –
Waratahs
Tries – J.Gordon 2, C. Rona, W.Miller, B.Hegarty, M.Hooper, T.Naiyaravoro
Pen – B.Foley
Con – B.Foley 6
Drop –
Cards – M.Hooper (64th min yellow)
Match Officials
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Ref 1:Shuhei Kubo
Assistant Ref 2:Tasuku Kawahara
TMO : Minoru Fuji
Teams
Sunwolves
15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Lomano Lemeki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Semisi Masirewa, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Yutaka Nagare (captain), 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 5 Sam Wykes, 4 James Moore, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Craig Millar
Replacements :16 Jaba Bregvadse, 17 Keita Inagaki, 18 Nikoloz Khatiashvili, 19 Wimpie van der Walt, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Hosea Saumaki
Waratahs
1. Tom Robertson, 2. Damien Fitzpatrick, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Ned Hanigan, 5. Rob Simmons, 6. Will Miller , 7. Michael Hooper (c) 8. Michael Wells, 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Bernard Foley (vc) 11. Taqele Naiyaravoro, 12. Kurtley Beale, 13. Curtis Rona, 14. Alex Newsome, 15. Bryce Hegarty,
Replacements : 16. Hugh Roach, 17. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18. Paddy Ryan, 19. Tom Staniforth, 20. Jed Holloway , 21. Mitchell Short, 22. Lalakai Foketi, 23. Cameron Clark