Airtime: Flyhalf Bernard Foley’s 14pt haul broke the Waratahs’ record for most points scored in a Super Rugby season – Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

by Brendan Bradford –

With one game still to play in the regular season, the Waratahs have wrapped up top spot on the Super Rugby table.

The historic result – the first time the Tahs have topped the Super Rugby ladder – was confirmed with a dominant 44-16 win over the Highlanders, who are placed second in a strong New Zealand conference but were restricted to just one try in front of over 24,000 fans in the afternoon sunshine of Allianz Stadium.

The records were falling everywhere. The side surpassed last year’s tally for most points scored in a season, Bernard Foley broke Peter Hewat’s eight year old record for most individual points for a Waratah in a Super Rugby season and giant Parramatta winger Taqele Naiyaravoro scored his first ever try.

Malakai Fekitoa was quiet in attack for the Highlanders
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

It wasn’t just what the Waratahs did with the ball, but how they were stopping the Highlanders’ attacking threats that was so impressive. “The Ghost” Ben Smith was quiet apart from a couple of runs in space; All Black halfback Aaron Smith’s contribution was limited, an opportunistic intercept notwithstanding; damaging midfield runner Malakai Fekitoa was restricted to defending the Tahs’ wide attacking moves and super-sized winger Patrick Osbourne hardly saw the ball.

Those four players had dismantled the Chiefs a week before yet the Tahs had their number.

“It’s always been a week to week proposition for us and it’s such a tough competition and the Reds will be tough next week and we need to keep the momentum going into the finals,” said captain Michael Hooper.

“We spoke at halftime that our forwards need to step up and they did a good job. There were some tough carries and that’s what’s going to get us into the finals. It’s a six day turnaround for us now and we’ll go back to the drawing board.”

It was a great win, but there were moments of concern for the Waratahs faithful. When Foley broke the line – and a few more tackles – in the first half before he was dragged down ten metres out, the Tahs’ decision making and execution was lacking. Perhaps white-line fever struck the support players, but all it amounted to was a knock-on and a let off for the harried visitors. With such a dominant scoreline, lapses like this can be overlooked, but must be dealt with before the sudden-death finals series.

The Highlanders had a horror start with Foley landing a penalty in the opening minutes before the Tahs turned a defensive scrum into five-points at the other end with a try to winger, Rob Horne. As the men in sky blue celebrated, Aaron Smith was sin-binned and their most damaging midfield runner, Malakai Fekitoa was receiving treatment on the halfway line.

Best & Fairest: Rampaging prop Sekope Kepu produced arguably his finest performance in a Tahs jersey, and was awarded the MoM vote by his team mates
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

It got worse for the visitors when hooker Brayden Mitchell left the pitch for a concussion test and flyhalf Lima Sopoaga missed his first penalty attempt of the afternoon.

Last weekend Sopoaga broke the Highlanders’ season point-scoring record and he slotted two penalties to get the Southerners back in contention at 8-6 before another Foley penalty restored a 5pt lead.

Referee Steve Walsh was keen to get in the records books for blowing the most non-existent penalties in a single match and he closed in on the record when he judged Nick Phipps was off his feet ten metres inside the Tahs’ half and Sopoaga added another penalty for an 11-9 halftime score.

With a haircut inspired by Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar, Israel Folau finished off a brilliant set-piece move off the back of a scrum straight after halftime for his 12th try of the year. Foley’s record breaking conversion earned an 18-9 advantage as the Tahs started turning the screws.

“You try and feed off great players like Kurtley and it opened up, so I was happy for that,” said Folau.

“We want to finish the normal season off well and next week will be a great opportunity. A lot of talk through the media and the club about that (finishing top of the table) but we’re just going to focus on the game and take it one week at a time.”

Michael Hooper was exceptional in winning a turnover the Tahs’ side of halfway and his teammates didn’t let his heroics go to waste. Alofa Alofa made half a break and let a one-handed off-load go to Sekope Kepu who took a couple of defenders over the line for just his second Super Rugby try in seven years.

Nick Phipps was awarded a try by the TMO after burrowing into the corner before Kepu was at it again a couple of minutes later with a goose-step and back-handed off-load that would have made any outside back proud to set up Jacques Potgieter for his second try in Waratahs colours and first in front of a home crowd.

First Of Many: Taqele Naiyaravoro dives over for his first Super Rugby try
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Highlanders replacement Phil Burleigh caught the home-side napping with a chip-and-chase try with seven minutes left to play, but nothing could stop the rampaging Tahs as replacement Taqele Naiyaravoro bustled down the left sideline just before the final whistle and the bumper crowd gave their side a standing ovation.

The Tahs travel to Brisbane next weekend to play the Reds before having a week off and hosting a semi-final at Allianz Stadium. The Highlanders play the Crusaders next weekend for a spot in the top six.

NSW Waratahs 44 (Rob Horne, Israel Folau, Sekope Kepu, Jacques Potgieter, Nick Phipps, Taqele Naiyaravoro tries; Bernard Foley 4 cons, 2 pens) defeated Highlanders 16 (Phil Burleigh try; Lima Sopoaga 3 pens. Hayden Parker con)