Match Details
| Waratahs |
VS |
Hurricanes (NZ) |
|
20 |
Kick off times:
7:40pm
(Local) Sat 16 Feb
7:40pm
(AEDT) Sat 16 Feb
|
3 |
|
Australian Rugby Union recruit Timana Tahu described last night as the dawn of an exciting new era in his professional career after the Waratahs defeated the Hurricanes in the opening round of Super 14.
Tahu, playing on the wing, threw the final pass for both tries scored by fullback Lachlan Turner in the 20-3 win at Sydney Football Stadium, watched by a crowd of more than 27,000.
“It was the start of a new chapter in my life,” beamed Tahu, whose rugby league career rose to the heights of State of Origin and Test representation.
Around the Waratahs dressing room, there would have been many sharing the same thought.
The 2007 season was forgettable and regrettable for the province.
NSW finished second last on the table, ahead only of Queensland, with crowds at the back end of Super 14 slumping below 20,000 for the first time since the game shed its amateur past in 1996.
But a solid first night crowd and a thumping win for the Waratahs – based on an impressive effort from their backrow against the All Black trio in Hurricanes’colours – delivered the start NSW Rugby Union was craving.
Number eight Wycliff Palu, with frequent moments of his trademark assets – powerhouse running and hard-hitting defence – was named man of the match in the three tries to nil victory.
Turner scored twice with blindside flanker Rocky Elsom, another standout in the backrow, also collecting a five-point reward as the home side shut out the Hurricanes.
“The impressive thing for me was keeping them to no tries,” said Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie.
“That was a damn good effort because we knocked the enthusiasm out of them. We wanted to suffocate them to a certain extent.
“It was important to have a win at home first-up.”
The Waratahs scored their first try in the 17th minute from a scrum – with the new experimental law variations demanding the defence be back 5m.
Centres Tom Carter and Ben Jacobs, running inside angles, were the decoys as five-eighth Kurtley Beales sent a wide ball to winger Lote Tuqiri.
His pass to Tahu was flicked on to Turner whose pace on the outside ensured him the try.
Elsom scored from a close range raid in the second half and Turner crossed again six minutes from time after Tahu offloaded in a tackle.
The Waratahs could have secured a late bonus point. Beale propped and sent centre Tom Carter steaming across for what would have been a fourth try inside the final minute.
But referee Craig Joubert ruled the pass from Beale was forward.
Waratahs 20 (Lachie Turner 2, Rocky Elsom tries; Kurtley Beale con, pen) defeated Hurricanes 3 (Jimmy Gopperth pen).
