Too little, too late as Waratahs’ season slips away in Dunedin

Mathematically, NSW can still reach the Super Rugby finals – but based on Saturday’s defeat to the Highlanders in Dunedin, they do not deserve to be there.

The Waratahs were stilted in attack, passive in defence and were battered in the scrum during a torrid first half. Eight of NSW’s starting line-up had represented the Wallabies, but against the weakest New Zealand team in the competition, they looked completely out of their depth and went to the interval trailing by 28-7.

The Waratahs responded well in the second half to get back to 28-26 with two minutes to go, but victory proved just out of their reach. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii produced NSW’s best attacking work, but it was too little, too late. At the end of the day, a team is not judged on the excitement it generates but on results.

The Highlanders did not come into this game with confidence, having posted one win in their previous four games and only two in Dunedin in the last year.

Sky Sport New Zealand had glowingly described Suaalii as “the special one” but the Wallabies centre had a disastrous start before working his way into the game and finishing with 13 carries and six defenders beaten.

Suaalii was turned over on his first carry, and then carelessly rushed up to tackle Caleb Tangitau, who glided past him and fed Jonah Lowe, who strolled over for the Highlanders’ first try.

It was Tangitau who scored the Highlanders’ second shortly afterwards, brushing aside Waratahs breakaway Angus-Scott Young and halfback Jake Gordon.

Dan McKellar is usually an expressive coach, but when the camera panned to him his only visible emotion was incredulity at what his team was dishing up.

McKellar said his side had been bullied at the breakdown in the defeat to the Force in Sydney last Friday, but this performance was worse. The Waratahs looked uninterested in competing and were easily brushed off tackles, ultimately missing 30 in the whole game.

Highlanders fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens scored his side’s third try after 20 minutes to make it 21-0, giving the Waratahs a mountain to climb. The sherpas finally arrived for NSW in the shape of their Wallabies stars.

A yellow card to Highlanders co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai for a ruck infringement opened up space, depriving the home side of their main ball-carrying weapon, and Suaalii and Max Jorgensen finally combined to send Andrew Kellaway over for a desperately needed try.

The Waratahs were always destined to struggle against the Highlanders’ All Blacks props Angus Ta’avao and Ethan de Groot and after two consecutive scrum penalties, Lowe grabbed his second try, extending the lead to 21 points.

Five minutes into the second half, the Waratahs got their show back on the road when, in just his second game of Super Rugby, giant Fijian prop Apolosi Ranawai rolled over for his first try. The catalyst was a brilliant running line from Suaalii.

With the Waratahs 16 points down and 20 minutes left, Jorgensen offloaded to Sid Harvey with the tryline less than a metre away, but the rookie dropped a ball he normally would have caught easily. It was one of those nights.

Suaalii then sent Harvey over for what looked a certain try, but the young winger’s foot had strayed into touch before he could get the ball down in the left corner. Minutes later, Suaalii had a try ruled out for an earlier knock on.

Clem Halaholo finally made the Waratahs’ dominance count with a try to shave the Highlanders’ lead to nine points with ten minutes to play, before Harvey converted his own try to cut the gap to two.

In the last minute, Tavatavanawai stole the ball at the ruck and Highlanders five-eighth Cameron Millar kicked the resulting penalty. The game was over – and, realistically, so are the Waratahs’ hopes of making the finals.

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