MEDIA RELEASE

Waratahs too hot for Rebels in Sydney  

 
The NSW Waratahs have ended the Melbourne Rebels unbeaten start to the 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby campaign with a 51-27 victory at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday afternoon.

In sweltering conditions, which saw the game halted for drinks breaks midway through the halves as temperatures nudged the high 30s, the Waratahs came from behind to defend the Weary Dunlop Shield.

The hosts overcome a 10-point half-time deficit with a 41-point second-half, courtesy of a devastating spell of four tries in 16 minutes to set up the victory.

The Rebels were out of the blocks early when Tom English pounced on a Waratahs turnover deep inside their own quarter to open the scoring in the fifth minute. Early sustained pressure forced Kurtley Beale to cough up possession for English to equal the club’s record for most Super Rugby tries with his 15th.

The Rebels were forced into a backline reshuffle moments later when Dane Haylett-Petty suffered a knock to the head and was forced to leave the field for the match after just 14 minutes.

The TMO denied inside centre Reece Hodge a try for a knock on just moments before the first drinks break but the visitors regrouped after the stoppage to extend their advantage in the 27th minute.

After the two sides exchanged penalties midway through the first stanza, the Rebels capitalised on a turnover at the breakdown by Lopeti Timani as Jack Debreczeni found Amanaki Mafi with an offload. The Japanese international showed a clean pair of heels in the open space to dash 60 metres and score to extend the visitor’s lead to 15-3.

Debreczeni would again turn provider 10 minutes later when the flyhalf offloaded off the deck to Billy Meakes who broke into the backfield and found Jack Maddocks in support for a try to make it 20-3. The young winger’s fifth try in three games for the Rebels.

The final say of the half would be had by the Waratahs however, with a grubber kick from Lalakai Foketi fortuitously ricocheting into the arms of Beale, who combined with Damian Fitzpatrick to put Foketi over the chalk.

The Waratahs picked up where they left off after the restart with four quick tries in succession to race out to a 41-20 lead at the second-half drinks break.

High balls for Israel Folau proved the catalyst for Waratahs Rob Simmons, Mitch Short and Taqele Naiyaravoro to score, while former Rebel Bryce Hegarty added a 5-pointer of his own.

The visitors momentarily halted the Waratahs momentum when Meakes hit the defence with a strong run before an offload put lock Matt Philip across the chalk for his first try for the Rebels.

Young hooker Mahe Vailanu became Rebel #130 when the Dewar Shield product came off the bench for his Super Rugby debut in the final 13 minutes, after he was drafted into the match day-23 for Jordan Uelese, who was sidelined with a minor hamstring injury.

Any chance of a late second-half comeback wilted in the blistering conditions as substitute Naiyaravoro finished off a well worked exchange of offloads down the left wing to score his second try.

NSW Waratahs 51 (Naiyaravoro 2, Foketi, Simmons, Short, Hegarty tries; Foley 6 cons, 3 pens) defeated Melbourne Rebels 27 (English, Mafi, Maddocks, Philip tries; Hodge 2 cons, 1 pen)