Match Details

Waratahs

VS

Stormers (SA)

	10	Sydney Kick off times: 7:40pm (Local) Sat 17 Mar 7:40pm (AEDT) Sat 17 Mar	16
	Live Scores

Australian rugby may have shelled out millions of dollars to retain Lote Tuqiri but the Waratahs cannot buy a win after being out-gunned 16-10 by the Stormers in the Investec Super 14 clash at Sydney’s Aussie Stadium on Saturday night.

In another dreadful, mistake-riddled performance, the Waratahs remain winless from their last four matches and are now in one of the worst slumps in their Super rugby history.

The Waratahs are anchored in second last position on the Super 14 table, one point ahead of the Queensland Reds, with the reputation of these two traditional Australian rugby powerhouses in tatters.

With both the Waratahs and the Stormers desperate for a morale-boosting win, their efforts were not assisted by greasy conditions following pre-match showers.

The Stormers led 3-0 at the break when the Waratahs had the worse possible start when winger Sam Norton-Knight knocked on from the kick-off before NSW immediately conceded a penalty and Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant landed an angled penalty goal from 25 metres.

It was the first of a host of errors in the first term by Norton-Knight and he later received an ironic cheer from the crowd when he produced a lengthy touch finder late in the half.

The Stormers, powered by a strong backrow performance, enjoyed territorial advantage for the first 20 minutes as NSW continued to mount pressure on themselves by regularly coughing up possession.

It was only NSW’s resolute defence and some misdirected passes by the visitors which kept the Stormers tryless.

NSW’s best opportunity came in the 23rd minute when Tuqiri made a strong run deep inside Stormers territory but he threw a poor pass to the hapless Norton-Knight who knocked on 18 metres from the tryline.

Four minutes after the break, NSW finally registered its first points when fullback Peter Hewat landed a penalty goal.

However, the Stormers regained the lead four minutes later when Waratahs flyhalf Kurtley Beale was penalised at the ruck and Grant piloted a 35-metre penalty goal to give them a 6-3 lead.

The Stormers then went within a whisker of scoring the first try of the match in the 56th minute when centre Jean de Villiers lost the ball over the line when tackled by Waratahs No.8 David Lyons and rookie winger Lachlan Turner.

But the Stormers didn’t have to wait long to finally cross when captain, flanker Luke Watson, easily stood up replacement Waratahs forward Wycliff Palu with a clever step and raced 15 metres to score. Grant’s conversion gave the visitors a handy 13-3 lead.

The Stormers extended the lead to 16-6 in the 65th minute when NSW was penalised for not releasing the ball and Grant landed a 37 metre penalty goal.

NSW gained a glimmer of hope of victory when awarded a penalty try in the 73rd minute after Stormers replacement Dylan Fountain knocked down Hewat’s pass with a two-man Waratahs overlap. Hewat’s simple conversion reduced the score to 16-10 but the Waratahs ran out of time and Stormers clinched a deserved win.

Stomers 16

Tries:                Watson

Conversions:     Grant (1)

Pen Goals:        Grant (3)

Waratahs 10

Tries:                Penalty Try

Conversions:     Hewat (1)

Pen Goals:        Hewat (1)