The NSW Waratahs have won four of their last five Super Rugby games against the Western Force (L1), despite leading at halftime on the day only twice in that span.
The Western Force have lost their last nine Super Rugby games in succession; a 10th consecutive defeat in this match would equal their longest losing run in the competition (L10, February to May in 2015).
- Nine of the NSW Waratahs’ last 11 Super Rugby home games have been won by the team to score the first try on the day; the Waratahs have won four times in that stretch (L7).
- The Western Force have missed the fewest tackles (25) of any team in Super Rugby AU this season; the NSW Waratahs have missed more tackles than any other side (45).
- Feleti Kaitu’u (Western Force) has made 16/16 lineout throws in Super Rugby AU this season; only the Brumbies’ Connal McInerney (17/17) has made more without missing a single throw.
Match detail
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In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Sydney at Bankwest Stadium.
5.00: TRY! The Waratahs go to their driving maul, looking for inspiration from their forwards, and it works as they power their way over the try-line. David Porecki Is the man who gets the score. 5-0
6.00: CONVERSION! Will Harrison adds the extras. 7-0
9.00: It’s all Tahs at the minute, but the Force is also enjoying some possession and territory.
12.00: The Waratahs win a penalty, Harrison calls for the tee.
14.00: PENALTY! Harrison extends from 41-metres out.
17.00: The Waratahs are forcing the Force to kick away possession, and the visitors’ kick-chase game is not going well.
19.00: The Force have made their way into the Waratahs’ 22, they need to make this attack count.
21.00: Western Force loses possession allowing NSW to clear the danger before winning a penalty on the halfway line.
23.00: PENALTY! Harrison makes it three from three. 13-0
26.00: The visitors go 12-phases, bashing their way towards the line, but after some good work, the forwards are held-up over the line for a Tahs’ goal-line dropout. Good defence by the hosts.
30.00: After half-an-hour, the Force have had 61% possession but done nothing with the ball.
32.00: TRY! Fergus Lee-Warner Crashes over the whitewash after Tom Anstee’s powerful run into the opposition’s 22. 13-5
33.00: CONVERSION! Jake McIntyre adds the extras. 13-7
35.00: Jake McIntyre calls for the tee.
36.00: PENALTY! Jake McIntyre reduces the deficit to three points before halftime. 13-10
38.00: The Force boot a penalty into Tahs territory after some good work at the breakdown by Santiago Medrano.
40.00: McIntyre loses possession, the siren sounds, but the Tahs have the scrum.
The halftime score was Waratahs 13 Western Force 10
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in down under.
44.00: Both teams have a 100% success rate on their own throws to the lineouts, and the scrums are pretty even. The breakdown is where this Super Rugby AU game will be won or lost.
47.00: Rob Kearney is isolated, the Irishman gives up a penalty allowing the Waratahs to kick the penalty deep into the visitors’ 22.
48.00: Porecki almost gets his second try, but he loses the ball in contact. Cubelli managed to strip the hooker of possession and earn his team a reprieve.
52.00: It’s the Force’s turn to pile on the pressure, they have gone 15 phases and are camped on the Tahs’ try-line.
53.00: After 16 phases, the Tahs give away a penalty, McIntyre boots the ball to the corner. The visitors smell blood.
54.00: TRY! Anstee, after setting up his team’s first try, reaches out to score and put his team ahead after a slick lineout move by the Force’s forwards. 13-15
55.00: CONVERSION! McIntyre adds the extras. 13-17
59.00: The Waratahs have butchered three scoring opportunities because of poor handling.
62.00: The Force are looking like the stronger team despite the hosts having more possession. This game will go down to the wire.
65.00: RED CARD! Andrew Ready is off for punching the head of an opponent. The tackles are flying in, both teams not taking a step back, and it’s starting to get heated, especially off the ball. 13-17
67.00: The Tahs have the extra man, they win the penalty, and kick to the corner.
69.00: The Force wins the turnover and penalty after defending the driving maul near their line. Superb defence.
71.00: Rob Penney’s side is banking on the Force wilting; however, the Perth team does not seem to be tiring.
72.00: New South Wales wins a kickable penalty, Harrison calls for the tee.
73.00: PENALTY! Harrison makes it a one-point ball-game. 16-17
76.00: Oh, dear! The Waratahs try running from their 22, but knock-on (again). The Force gather; however, they cannot finish off the home team because of some poor handling of their own.
78.00: The Tahs collapse the scrum, giving the visitors a shot at winning the game with a penalty, or a score from a driving maul.
79.00: Ian Prior calls for the tee.
79.00: PENALTY! Ian Prior you beauty! 16-20
81.00: NSW wins a penalty for offside near the halfway line. Maddocks will kick as deep into the corner as he can.
84.00: The Waratahs go 14 phases after the hooter, but their handling lets them down again. What a thrilling finish to a good game. The Force end four years of pain as well as a nine-game losing streak in Super Rugby.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Waratahs 16 (13) Western Force 20 (10)
Scorers
Waratahs
Tries – Porecki
Pen – Harrison (3)
Con – Harrison
Drop –
Cards –
Western Force
Tries – Lee-Warner, Anstee
Pen – McIntyre, Prior
Con – McIntyre (2)
Drop –
Cards – Ready (Red, 65′)
Match Officials
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 1: Amy Perrett
Assistant Ref 2: Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan
Teams
Waratahs
15 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Alex Newsome (captain), 12 Tepai Moeroa, 11 James Ramm, 10 Will Harrison, 9 Jack Grant, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Hugh Sinclair, 4 Sam Caird, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 David Porecki, 1 Te Tera Faulkner
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 Sio Tatola, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Jeremy Williams, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Triston Reilly
Western Force
15 Rob Kearney, 14 Byron Ralston, 13 Tevita Kuridrani. 12 Richard Kahui, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Brynard Stander (captain), 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Tom Anstee, 5 Fergus Lee-Warner, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Angus Wagner, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Marcel Brache
