Israel Folau took just 25-seconds to score against the Bulls on Saturday night
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

by Brendan Bradford –

It was home sweet home for the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night as they ground out a 19-12 victory over the Bulls to end a nine year drought against the Pretoria based side.

A month after their last outing on home soil, the Tahs turned in a gutsy if at times uneven performance to reclaim second spot in the Australian conference and fourth spot overall. After going out to a 13-0 lead, the Waratahs allowed the Bulls back into the match with a couple of penalties either side of halftime but managed to keep the visitors at bay.

“It wasn’t the way we’d normally do it, but I think we’ve also gotta be a little unpredictable and I know that probably sounds a bit silly, but we can’t show the same thing all the time,” said coach Michael Cheika.

Bulls flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter scored three penalties to keep the visitors in the hunt
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com

““We had some really good opportunities in the first half and probably left a few more we could have converted, but in the second half the momentum changed a little bit and I think in games like that when you’ve been attacking and the momentum goes away from you, you can fall in a bit of a hole there. You’ve gotta be mentally switched on to get out of that hole. I think the boys thought on their feet a fair bit in that second half and we got ourselves in that position to keep nudging ahead.”

In a match dominated by powerful forward play, the Waratahs pack never took a backwards step against the no-nonsense Bulls eight.

“There’s a good mix there, Hoops is proving he’s a world class player each week and Jacques is showing that little bit of edge around the physicality,” said captain Dave Dennis.

“We’re working well together, I think the whole forward pack is starting to consistently have that physicality. There was a good contest at the set-piece tonight – our scrum was a bit slow to get going – so there’s some good signs in the forward pack and we’re moving the ball around a bit.”

Israel Folau wasted little time celebrating his return after a month forced out with injury. The flying fullback was on hand to take an Adam Ashley-Cooper off-load and score with just 25-seconds gone on the clock.

Kurtley Beale missed a long range penalty nine minutes later as the Waratahs’ physicality dominated the opening stages.

Beale also looked happy to be home and stepped through a gap close to the ruck before grubbering back across the field from the 22-metre line. Hoping to see Folau’s orange boots in hot pursuit, Beale could only watch as the Gilbert rolled in-goal and the only chaser with a chance was prop Benn Robinson.

Bernard Foley was given the kicking tee for two closer penalties and the Waratahs flyhalf extended the lead to 13 after 20-minutes.

The Bulls couldn’t manage any penetration into Waratahs territory and were on the wrong side of a 62-38 percent possession stat and the penalties started to mount as Foley missed another three-point attempt from 40-metres out.

Waratahs wrecking-ball Jacques Potgieter was never far from the action against his former team-mates. The popular South African left the field to a standing ovation – Photo:karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Although it looked like they were coasting, the Tahs had their fair share of handling errors which kept them from adding to their lead.

Sharp-shooter Jacques-Louis Potgieter landed two quick penalties before the break for a 13-6 halftime gap that was wholly unreflective of the Waratahs’ dominance.

The Bulls maintained their momentum into the second half with another Potgieter penalty just as Beale left the pitch with an ankle injury. The Bulls flyhalf then sprayed a drop-goal attempt wide as the visitors continued to surge, earning a five-metre attacking scrum after some sloppy Tahs defence.

In his best Super Rugby performance so far, Will Skelton had a massive impact on the game and got the Waratahs out of trouble following the Bulls’ scrum with a barnstorming mid-field run.

Foley missed the side’s third penalty and fears of a second-half fade out began to grow.

The breaking point came with 20-minutes to play when Bulls fullback Ulrich Beyers knocked-on inside his own 22, granting the Tahs an attacking platform. They packed a scrum, spread it wide and earned another kickable penalty from which Foley made no mistakes.

Adam Ashley-Cooper and Rob Horne double team a stray Bull in a physical contest – Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Bulls No.8 Grant Hattingh was sin-binned for a high shot on Michael Hooper and Foley landed the side’s fourth penalty for a 19-9 lead with 15 to play.

But still the Bulls attacked.

Only held out by some plucky Tahs defence, the visitors were full of running and replacement Handre Pollard scored their fourth penalty with three minutes to play.

The Bulls kept the ball alive for the last two minutes and edged towards the Waratahs’ line and a possible match-tying try before man-of-the-match Michael Hooper scavenged at the breakdown and won a penalty to end the game.

It’s not often the winning points come in the opening minute of play, but Folau’s support running off Ashley-Cooper after just 25-seconds proved to be the difference in the end. How the Tahs could have done with him last week in Perth.

The Tahs are away to the Blues next week before returning to Allianz to host the Hurricanes the week after. The Bulls slip to ninth on the table and play the Force in Perth next weekend.

NSW Waratahs 19 (Israel Folau try; Bernard Foley 4 pens, con) defeated Bulls 9 (Jacques-Louis Potgieter 3pens, Handre Pollard pen) Crowd: 15,773