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How a halftime spray - and a crazy 120-metre try - helped Tahs secure stirring win over Chiefs

Tom Decent
Updated ,first published

‘What does the jersey mean to you?’: The halftime challenge that inspired massive Waratahs defensive effort

By Iain Payten

It contained a 120-metre try on the podium for best ever, a star performance from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and the first organic “New South Wales” chant from a Waratahs crowd in a long, long time.

But the Waratahs’ stirring victory over the Chiefs at Allianz Stadium, which kept the Tahs’ undefeated at home in 2025, was built on the back of a heroic defensive performance, which was powered by an emotional half-time speech from coach Dan McKellar.

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Considered rank outsiders against the table-topping Chiefs, who they hadn’t beaten since 2016, the Waratahs tackled themselves to a memorable 21-14 win.

They did it the hard way. After Suaalii had cut open the Chiefs in the first half, and scored his first try in Super Rugby and played a part in the 120m stunner (more on that later), the Waratahs found themselves with a seven-point lead in the last quarter and defending for their lives.

Match report: Waratahs breathe life into season with gritty win over Chiefs

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The Waratahs are back with a bang.

Dan McKellar delivered an old-fashioned spray at half-time to help lift the Waratahs out of their mid-season slump before an unbelievable 105-metre try and a tenacious defensive display helped the men in sky blue snap a nine-year losing streak against the Chiefs.

The Waratahs somehow overcame being on the wrong side of an 18-5 penalty count to beat the ladder-leading Chiefs 21-14 in front of a vocal home crowd in Sydney who rode the highs and lows of a dramatic match.

NSW, down to 14 men, thought they’d done enough with a minute remaining but a botched lineout gave the Chiefs a final chance to level scores. More than five minutes after full-time and 28 energy-sapping phases later, the match finally ended with exhausted players and an unintentional knock-on.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was magnificent, scoring his first Super Rugby try in the 19th minute through a brilliant individual effort, as Triston Reilly and Teddy Wilson bagged five-pointers of their own on a memorable night for NSW rugby.

We need one more look at that Waratahs team try

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Hard to recall a better team try scored by the Waratahs. Happy to hear suggestions!

It’s the sort of stuff fans won’t forget.

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Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Jack Bowen and Henry O’Donnell of the Waratahs celebrate victory. Getty Images
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How the full-time stats look

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‘That’s a special one’: Sinclair sings Tahs’ praises

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It’s been 3241 days since the Waratahs beat the Chiefs, doing so in round 14 of the 2016 season.

“That’s a special one. That’ll be up there,” Waratahs captain Hugh Sinclair said on the Stan broadcast. “That crowd was immense, especially in that last passage of play.

“I think the crowd got their money’s worth with a few momentum swings in that one. Just stoked to get the win with tough couple of weeks on the road. We copped one at half-time. ”

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Full-time: Waratahs stun Chiefs in wild match of rugby

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It’s all over! What a game. The Waratahs have snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Chiefs, winning 21-14.

The Chiefs concede a penalty for an extra roll at a ruck. The Waratahs celebrate but there is a minute still on the clock.

A short lineout goes horribly wrong and the Tahs knock it on. What were they thinking? Game was there for the taking. That’s a killer.

The Chiefs win a scrum penalty but kick for the corner. Heck of a game this.

The phases go on. Everyone is digging deep. 28 phases go by as the Chiefs search for a match-equalling try.

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Waratahs down to 14 men

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Waratahs reserve Miles Amatosero is sent to the bin for repeated team infringements.

So close. The Chiefs have been down the Waratahs’ end for what seems like an eternity.

Waratahs lead 21-14 with just over two minutes remaining

It’s tight with five minutes to go

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The Chiefs put in a grubber and Damian McKenzie sprints through. It’s a one-on-one tussle with Andrew Kellaway for the ball and the Chiefs No.15 knocks on. Another one. That was a bit harder but you almost have to laugh. Can hardly recall a worse match of rugby from someone.

The Waratahs are losing the penalty count 15-4 and fans are not happy. Some very interesting calls tonight on a few fronts, notably Lalakai Foketi’s non-try.

A few scrum resets and penalties to the Chiefs sees the clock run down. Look forward to Dan McKellar’s press conference.

Waratahs lead 21-14 after 75 minutes

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Can the Waratahs hang on with 10 minutes to go

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It’s getting tense at Allianz Stadium as we enter the final 10 minutes.

You get the sense the Chiefs have another score in them.

Waratahs lead 21-14 after 70 minutes

Andrew Kellaway gets his breath. Getty Images
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Payten has his say

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(Waratahs lead 21-14 with 18 minutes remaining)

The man who clocked Suaalii with a high shot - Gideon Wrampling - avoided an upgrade to a red card.

He should treat himself to a few lottery tickets. Looked very much like a shoulder to the head, with no wrap and running hard into the contact.

Anyway, they’ll be poring over this game for weeks. The penalty count in this game is 11-3.

That Tahs’ 100-plus metre try is as good as that’s been scored at Allianz. But the Chiefs haven’t gone away, and the Tahs have started to look a touch lethargic and disjointed with the ball.

Damian McKenzie of the Chiefs drops the ball.Getty Images
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