Waratahs humble Chiefs
The Waratahs remained firmly in the Super 14 play-off race with a 46-19 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Last Updated: 08/05/10 11:48am
The Waratahs remained firmly in the Super 14 play-off race with a 46-19 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The bonus-point triumph at Waikato Stadium lifted the Waratahs to third, and they face fellow semi-final contenders the Hurricanes in the final round in Sydney next week.
The Waratahs dominated from the off and by half-time had a comfortable 20-0 lead thanks to tries from Drew Mitchell, Ben Mowen and Tatafu Polota-Nau.
They wrapped up the four-try bonus point one minute into the second half when Berrick Barnes collected an intercept pass to race in unopposed by the posts.
In the end they out-scored the Chiefs by seven tries to three with Kurtley Beale, Lachie Turner and Damien Fitzpatrick also claiming five-pointers in the second half.
Tim Nanai-Williams and Jackson Willison (two) grabbed consolation tries for the Chiefs.
Ubiquitous
Mitchell popped up everywhere and looked dangerous every time he got ball in hand.
His solo effort in just the third minute, where he stepped around would-be tackler Tanerau Latimer, put on the afterburners then collected his own grubber kick to score, was the highlight of an error-strewn first half.
Mowen's try came on the back of a patient build-up and good recycling of the ball before the big number eight burst through to score under the posts, while hooker Polota-Nau drove over from the back of the maul off a line-out close to the Chiefs line.
Barnes rounded off the first-half scoring with a penalty kick after converting two of three opening tries.
The second half was equally as scrappy as both sides coughed up possession.
Barnes wasted a good chance to put his side further ahead when he failed to spot Turner free on his outside and the Chiefs scrambled well to snuff out the opportunity.
The Chiefs finally got on the board on the hour when they created the overlap to put exciting young full-back Nanai-Williams over.
But the Waratahs responded immediately with Beale diving on a stab kick through from Barnes.
Beale then turned provider for Turner, who collected the full-back's grubber to score in the corner.
The Chiefs finished with a flourish though, as Jackson Willison bagged his double, but it was replacement Waratahs hooker Fitzpatrick who had the final say.
Poor
All in all it was a poor night for the Chiefs, who have failed to win a match in Hamilton all season.
They spent most of the first 40 minutes tackling, or slipping off tackles, and barely saw the ball or ventured into the Waratahs' half of the field.
Their scrum was put under huge pressure and they were lucky not to have prop Nathan White sent to the sin-bin when his frustration boiled over and he landed a flurry of punches on opponent Al Baxter.
He conceded the penalty for that indiscretion then found himself on the wrong side of referee Steve Walsh again when he collapsed a maul close to the Chiefs line, and that penalty eventually saw the Tahs hooker get over the line. White limped off shortly afterwards.
Although things improved a little in the second half it was far too little, far too late.
