Five things we learnt from Waratahs-Highlanders

Sun, May 22, 2022, 5:57 AM
Jim Tucker
by Jim Tucker
The Highlanders hosted the Waratahs to close out round 14.

This was another key result in the revival of Australia’s best sides against the Kiwis in Super Rugby Pacific...a second victory on New Zealand soil.

No one is declaring two wins on Kiwi turf in a season is worthy of knighthoods being handed out but this was a huge step in the 2022 makeover of the Waratahs just as the Brumbies win in Hamilton was a beauty.

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The 0-13 disaster of 2021 is ancient history now the Waratahs have their eighth win off the season in the bag after this 32-20 win over the Highlanders in Dunedin.

It was the first win in Dunedin for the Waratahs since the Highlanders were still playing at Carisbrook back in 2008.

You can’t overstate how much the Waratahs have improved with the team-building knack and game-style ideas of new coach Darren Coleman.

That’s five Aussie wins over Kiwi sides in all this season plus six matches which have gone down to the wire...that’s a massive improvement. 

So what did we learn?

1 HUGE REWARD FOR THIS WIN

The Waratahs leapfrog the Queensland Reds into sixth spot with this win.

Instead of heading to New Zealand for a quarter-final, there is now every chance of the Waratahs just driving down the highway for a 3 v 6 quarter-final against the Brumbies in Canberra.

That will be the state of play if the Reds lose to the Crusaders in Christchurch next Friday, irrespective of how the Tahs perform in hosting the Blues at Leichhardt Oval next Saturday.

2 BIG FROM THE BENCH

The Waratahs got a big lift when needed in the second half from their bench.

Replacement prop Ruan Smith threw the neat pass that put Ned Hanigan through in the closing minutes. Hanigan’s spin move and little offload put Tane Edmed over.

Replacement Angus Bell made his mark too at prop but no one did more as bench impact than flanker Charlie Gamble.

A key Gamble pinch at the breakdown was his 16th turnover of the season, the most of any player in Super Rugby Pacific.

3 GO DIRECT AT THE KIWIS

The Waratahs did take the Highlanders front-on.

Whether it was a strong hit-ups from Lalakai Foketi (10 runs for 68m) first pass off lineouts or Michael Hooper piercing the Highlanders with his quick ruckbase dart for a try, the Waratahs took on the Kiwis up the middle.

It was the same with that lovely passing interchange with 15 minutes to play when Jake Gordon, Hooper, Hanigan and Foketi combined to punch a hole up the middle.

Even that opening try was all about being direct. No.8 Will Harris showed a lovely little left foot step to punch through the line for a try.

4 DEFENCE

The Waratahs leaked 40 tries in five games when smashed by five Kiwi rivals last year. This season, wins over the Crusaders and Highlanders have been set up by sterling, physical defence too.

Flanker Michael Hooper made 18 tackles and was in the thick of it as usual. The scramble to mop up by the Waratahs has been very good too.

Hooper’s ability to make a big play was obvious as well with that fast, pick-up and dart from the back of the ruck for his 25m try. Thirty tries in Super Rugby...that's some record.

5 TANE EDMED

Eastwood coach Ben Batger was screaming for Tane Edmed to be recognised early last season.

Well, well. Edmed has been the perfect man at No.10 for the Waratahs.

Injury or not, 2021 starter Will Harrison is now the No.3 flyhalf option in sky blue. Edmed plays much flatter at the line.

His long ball to put Mark Nawaqanitawase over for his try was good execution of a set-play against 14 Highlanders.

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