Tahs maintain undefeated run
By Adrian Warren
February 07, 2008
CRUSADERS and New Zealand five-eighth Daniel Carter landed the early punches but New South Wales counterpart Kurtley Beale delivered the knockout blow as the Waratahs defeated the visitors 24-14 in a Super 14 trial match at Sydney Football Stadium.
The Waratahs again showed their depth by recovering a 14-0 deficit to inflict defeat on a Crusaders team coached by new Australia coach Robbie Deans.
After scoring 38 unanswered points in the second half against the Brumbies in Gosford last week, the Waratahs poured on 24 points without reply in Sydney - 17 in the second half.
In doing so, the Waratahs claimed their third win from as many trials in the lead-up to their Super 14 opener against the Hurricanes on February 16. The Crusaders meanwhile suffered their first defeat in three trials.
Carter, playing his first game of the pre-season following a calf injury, shone early, setting up tries to centres Casey Laulala and Tim Bateman before he was one of multiple players from both sides to be substituted at half-time.
Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie was happy with the victory but felt his side could have been more clinical in the first quarter.
"We certainly weren't happy with our first part of the game, we weren't clinical and we weren't as aggressive and we didn't defend as well as we'd like," McKenzie said.
"But the good thing is we turned it around and stuck to our guns."
The Crusaders played the slicker rugby in the first half, putting together dangerous moves in the heavy rain while the Waratahs struggled to build momentum.
The Waratahs commenced their comeback in the 35th minute, when lively Brett Sheehan, who had replaced starting half-back Josh Valentine only eight minutes earlier, dummied his way over for a try after a strong forward drive.
McKenzie said he decided to introduce man-of-the-match Sheehan early in the game because he wasn't getting the result he wanted from Valentine.
"We thought we'd be proactive and we just thought the way Brett plays the game would suit the conditions better, and certainly him coming on the field made a big difference,'' McKenzie said.
Beale converted Sheehan's try to cut the deficit to seven points at half-time before scoring the first 10 points of the second half to push the home team into the lead.
The young five-eighth kicked a penalty and then converted his own try in the 48th minute, after he had stolen the ball from veteran Crusaders winger Caleb Ralph and sprinted 40 metres.
Beale missed only one kick, a 55th-minute penalty, but he converted the Waratahs' third try before being replaced four minutes later.
Centre Timana Tahu slipped a pass to flanker Rocky Elsom, who charged down the left flank before passing inside to winger Alfi Mafi.
McKenzie reported no major injuries, while Deans said that utility back Leon MacDonald was his major fitness worry going into next week.
Deans said the result of the game wasn't significant and some of the Crusaders' decision making would tighten up once the Super tournament commenced.
"In the second 40, there were a few blokes out there who haven't even played NPC, let alone at this level, so it was a big step for them, but they did well," Deans said.
"They didn't drop off the game. We are pretty happy with what we got out of it.
"It wasn't perfect. We probably put ourselves under pressure. It would have been pretty easy to actually turn the tables."
Deans said he would be very surprised if players in the Australia team lifted their game against the Crusaders, just to impress him in his capacity as Wallabies coach, and said they would be more focused on working as a team than individuals.
AAP
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23177825-5002381,00.html
