Sorry Tahs slump to another loss as pressure mounts on board
Tahs #Tahs
Last year the Reds snuck past the Waratahs to snap a seven-year drought in Brisbane and it looks certain that they will now have their own stranglehold over the Bob Templeton Cup.
The undefeated Reds left the Olympic Stadium as 46-14 winners to hand the winless Waratahs their fifth successive loss to start the year.
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But it could have been a cricket score had the Reds showed some patience in the first-half, as they regularly turned over possession just when they threatened to burst through the gates.
A hamstring injury to Sulivasi Vunivalu was the only concern for Brad Thorn’s Reds.
How long the star NRL recruit will miss is not known, but you can imagine Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will have vented some frustration at the TV from north of the border with Vunivalu still learning the game.
Even still, the two-time NRL premiership winner with the Storm will likely be announced in Rennie’s 40-man Wallabies training squad on Sunday, with the camp all but a logistical exercise to get planning ahead of the three-match Test series against France in July.
The Reds were careless with possession for most of the night, with Jordan Petaia in particular guilty for turning over the ball.
As physically gifted a runner as Petaia is, the boom centre still has the habit of losing the ball in contact and his poor passing game was once again on display as he found the touchline midway through the first-half when attempting a simple right-to-left cut out pass.
There were, however, glimpses of what he can do with the ball as he split Waratahs props Harry Johnson-Holmes and Tetera Faulkner with a scrumptious show and go in the second half.
But given his flawed game at outside centre, he might just well be opening the door for Brumbies centre Len Ikitau to wear the Wallabies 13 jersey if Rennie doesn’t opt to play Hunter Paisami there so he can play Matt To’omua at inside centre.
The Waratahs were brave, but they are miles off the pace.
They won’t be helped either by injuries to second-row pairing Sam Wykes and Sam Caird, who both left inside the opening 20 minutes.
Centre Lalakai Foketi joined the casualty ward in the second half, as he limped off with a foot injury.
But the elephant in the room remains who at NSW Rugby will be held accountable for the mess the Waratahs are in?
Rob Penney will likely be the man who is forced to walk the plank, but the NSW board and chairman Roger Davis must be looking at themselves for allowing the previous management carte blanche.
The Reds’ victory was built on their scrum dominance and a quick thinking Tate McDermott at halfback.
After Will Harrison slotted two early penalties, twinkle-toes McDermott stepped inside Carlo Tizzano off the back of a scrum and carried three defenders over with him to hit back and help the Reds to a 7-6 lead after 12 minutes.
A breakdown penalty to win from burgeoning forward Seru Uru after 28 minutes allowed the Reds some more territory.
The Reds kicked for the corner and opted for the rolling maul, before some quick thinking from Uru and McDermott down the blindside sent Lukhan Salakaia-Loto over out wide.
Both sides traded penalties to see the Reds take a 17-9 lead, but a poor drop from Alex Newsome straight after Harrison’s third penalty allowed the visitors one final chance to add points before half-time.
After Vunivalu failed to score out wide, James O’Connor kicked across field for Filipo Daugunu who stepped inside Newsome to score and give them all the momentum.
It was the Alex Mafi show in the second half as the hooker grabbed a hat-trick against a Waratahs side simply off their feet.
Taniela Tupou was given an early mark after he stampeded over Tizzano out wide in the 51st minute.
He was joined shortly after by O’Connor, as Thorn rang the changes.
Waratahs No.8 Will Harris was one rare ray of light for the home side, but more pain looks on its way for NSW.
As for the Reds, they were good without being great and only until they face New Zealand opposition will Rennie get an indicator on just how good Thorn’s men truly are.
Until then, they risk getting ahead of themselves in what is really a three-team competition alongside the Brumbies and Rebels, with the Force showing signs of improvement but still far from the finished product after coming together like a pack of Barbarians.