The Waratahs host the Lions in Sydney in the second Super Rugby match this weekend and they will be hoping to end a two-match losing streak.
The last two matches between these teams were both played in Johannesburg and the Lions won both matches. This weekend the Waratahs will have home advantage.
- The Lions have won their last two games against the Waratahs; they had won just one of eight meetings with the New South Wales side prior to that brace.
- The Waratahs are on a four-game winning run, the last time they went on a longer streak was a nine-game run which ended with a victory in the 2014 Final.
- The Lions have won nine of their last 10 fixtures against Australian outfits, including their last six in a row.
- Taqele Naiyaravoro has the best average gain per carry (13m) of any player to make 25+ carries this season, crossing for seven tries across his last four outings.
- Malcolm Marx has won a competition-high 12 turnovers so far, 10 of which have been jackals.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway at Allianz Stadium.
2.00: The Lions have won five straight in Australia, but the South Africans have never been victorious in Sydney.
3.00: Ruan Dreyer is pinged at the first scrum for collapsing. The grass ripped up under the weight of the prop’s feet; this could be a problem for the rest of the game.
6.00: The Waratahs have all the early territory and possession and are going through the phases inside the Lions half.
9.00: The Waratahs go close, again, but they are penalised for not releasing. Elton Jantjies misses his second touch-kick – what is going on with the Bok standoff?
10.00: The Lions have an attacking lineout on the Waratahs’ 22.
11.00: The Waratahs hold up the driving maul and win the scrum. That was quality defending by the home side.
14.00: Bernard Foley kicks the penalty to the Lions’ 22.
16.00: The Lions win the turnover but Jantjies’ clearance is not out, again, and the Tahs run the ball back.
18.00: Alex Newsome intercepts, but the winger is caught offsides.
20.00: Malcolm Marx takes three defenders every time he runs with the ball. Foley is off for an HIA after taking an elbow to the face from Lionel Mapoe.
22.00: TRY! Madosh Tambwe is over in the corner. Kwagga Smith’s midfield break saw the Lions get in behind the Tahs’ defenders. some slick handling from the ruck ended with the five-pointer. 0-5
22.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies takes the kick quickly. 0-7
25.00: Tambwe counter attacks from the Lions 22. The winger is taken out after a chip-kick, but the referee doesn’t go to the TMO.
28.00: The Lions are trying to get their running game going, but can’t get their hands on the ball.
31.00: The Waratahs defence has been strong, stopping the Lions’ big ball carriers and shutting down the outside backs.
33.00: Taqele Naiyaravoro coughs up possession in midfield, allowing Smith to gather and set up a counter attack. However, the move comes to nothing after yet another handling error inside the Waratahs’ 22.
35.00: Newsome tries to take the man, on, but loses the ball trying to play Foley. That is poor from Newsome. Michael Hooper kept the play alive after Kurtley Beale’s break.
37.00: Marx breaks after an overthrown lineout but again, loses the ball in the tackle after busting through a defender.
38.00: The Waratahs have an attacking scrum on the Lions’ 22 in centre field.
39.00: Damien Fitzpatrick gives away a free-kick for an early engagement. Jantjies clears (and finds touch).
41.00: An attacking scrum to the Lions is scuppered. The hooter sounds and that’s the half.
The half-time score was Waratahs 0 Lions 7
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Sydney.
42.00: Both teams have struggled to hold on to the ball. Ned Hanigan said the field is a “bit dewy” which is causing the handling errors.
43.00: Beale is cleaned out and being checked by the medic. Sekope Kepu is also down. The Lions have the penalty and will kick to the corner.
44.00: TRY! Kwagga Smith barges his way over the whitewash. Andries Ferreira took the throw and the Lions shifted quickly, catching the Waratahs off-guard. 0-12
45.00: MISS! Jantjies puts hit kick wide. 0-12
48.00: The Tahs are pinged for another ruck-infringement. Jantjies kicks to the Tahs’ 22.
50.00: TRY! Harold Vorster bursts through for the score. It came from the Lions patiently going through the phases. Some quick ball was sent wide and the Waratahs could not get across to defend the outside channel. 0-17
51.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies adds the extras. 0-19
53.00: Another penalty is kicked to the home team’s 22. The Lions have had 100 percent possession in the last five minutes. Wow!
54.00: Michael Hooper is penalised. Franco Mostert opts for a scrum instead of kicking an easy three points to go four scores, up.
57.00: Another set of penalties by the Waratahs sees the referee call Hooper over for a chat. Lions want another scrum.
59.00: The Waratahs win the turnover and penalty; great defending by the home side. One has to question the thought process of Mostert in taking the scrums.
62.00: Wells coughs up the ball with the try-line at his mercy. The ref was playing advantage, so the Tahs have the ball.
64.00: Beale almost has his pass intercepted; they have the scrum.
66.00: The Lions defending of Taqele Naiyaravoro has been superb. The winger came on the inside cut. was tackled and the penalty conceded. That was a good chance to give themselves some hope, but the move was botched by New South Wales.
70.00: The Lions opt for a shot at goal after earning another penalty.
71.00: PENALTY! Jantjies slots the three points. 0-22
74.00: The Lions set-pieces have been superb. They have ground the Waratahs into the dirt.
76.00: TRY! Marnus Schoeman is over for his first Super Rugby try. The scrumhalf peeled around the back of the driving maul and went through a big hole in the NSW defence to score. 0-27
78.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies adds the extras. 0-29
80.00: The hooter sounds as the two teams set for the scrum.
81.00: Marnus Schoeman breaks blind, but is tackled into touch, sparking a scuffle.
FULL-TIME.
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The final score: Waratahs 0 (0) Lions 29 (7)
Scorers
Waratahs
Tries –
Pen –
Con –
Drop –
Cards –
Lions
Tries – Tambwe, Smith, Vorster, Schoeman
Pen – Jantjies
Con – Jantjies (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 1: Damon Murphy
Assistant Ref 2: Graham Cooper
TMO: George Ayoub
Teams
Waratahs
15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (Captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Tom Staniforth, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Nick Palmer, 20 Jed Holloway, 21 Will Miller, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 Lalakai Foketi
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Francois Mostert (captain), 6 Albertus Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nicholas Groom, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza.
