The Waratahs downed the Crusaders on an emotional evening at the SCG.
What are we talking about?
Powerful moment of remembrance
The Crusaders don’t like losing one bit but in years to come they won’t remember the defeat from their time in Sydney. They’ll remember the touching moment of remembrance observed - linked arm in arm with Waratahs players - for the victims of the Christchurch terror attack.
For coach Scott Robertson, who had an arm around his old Crusaders mate Daryl Gibson, it was a poignant moment where the rugby family stood above the trivialities of sport.
“It was very special,” he said. “We’d seen other teams do it but we didn’t play last week so this was our first chance.”
Christchurch has been touched by more than its fair share of tragedy, and just as they did after the 2011 earthquake, the city turned to the Crusaders for a few hours of distraction and positivity.
They will continue to do so this year, no doubt.
But the combined moment’s silence at the SCG - and those done in the same way at other games - also served as a timely reminder to those who get worked up over rugby and sport in general that in the end, it is a just a game.
"It was really neat. That transcends sport,” Giobson said.
"Put that to the side and really think of others in far worse situations. It was a really nice touch."
The moment of silence also served to remember long-serving NSW and ARU development great Manu Sutherland, who passed away on Friday.
Handy Tandy
Whatever the Waratahs are paying defence coach Steve Tandy, they should double it.
The Tahs beat the Crusaders via their defence.
That phrase would have got you laughed out of town only two years ago when the Waratahs conceded a franchise-record worst average of 35 points a game in 2017.
Tandy is a Welshman and there is no coincidence the intent in the Waratahs’ defence looks ripped from the pages of the Six Nations.
Aggressive contact, numbers in the tackle, lifting runners back behind the advantage line. All the good stuff.
But the most impressive thing about the Waratahs’ defence at SCG was their structure, and the discipline to keep it up all night.
Aussie teams have had a bad habit of individuals shooting out of the line, trying to solve problems with a big hit.
That fractured line was manna from heaven for Kiwi teams.
But the Waratahs didn’t give the Crusaders any sniff of a fracture, and in tackling so strongly, also won the breakdown.
Hooper haul
Perhaps it is because people love David Pocock so much, but one of life’s mysteries is why Michael Hooper now cops grief in the ever-so pleasant online world.
For those not in the Hooper fan club, go take another watch of the SCG game.
Hooper made 20 tackles, missed only one and often times bounced out of one tackle into another. He has made 81 tackles in five games this year, with an average of 16 per game.
Throw in the fact he had 10 carries, three defenders beaten and a turnover, and Hooper was at the point of exhaustion at the end of the game.
And the kicker? He’s like that every game.
Turf tight
There was only a brief bubble up of the turf issues that caused major headaches during the Waratahs’ clash with Queensland - and afterwards.
The SCG Trust reacted swiftly and initially re-laid 3000 square metres of turf, in the two end quarters. They followed that up by relaying most of the field. It was a good call with only one long scrum digging up a bubble of turf, that was swiftly patted back down.
But while there were few turf problems, the age-old issue with SCG footy - distance between fans and the players - was hard to ignore. At a time when stadium debates are all the rage, the Waratahs’ re-visting the SCG has been a timely reminder that while it’s nice to do the SCG occasionally, rugby is best played in intimate, rectangular venues.
Mighty Crusaders
Records are meant to be broken and streaks always have to end. (Come home soon Bledisloe).
But after the Crusaders’ 19-game winning streak was ended by the Tahs, it’s worth remembering just how amazing that record is.
The Crusaders hadn’t been beaten in over a year prior to Saturday - their last defeat came on March 17, 2018.
Since then they’ve been a juggernaut of consistency and ruthlessly good football.
That’s the thing about the Crusaders. It’s hard to identify what their best rugby trait is, because they’re 9/10 at everything, almost every week.
Losing to the Waratahs with a team missing many big names doesn’t diminish the fact the current Crusaders are still, arguably, the most dominant rugby side in Super Rugby history. And if they're not the best, they're well and truly in the conversation.
Since the start of 2017, they’ve won 38 matches and lost just five.
Asked to reflect on the run, Scott Robertson said: "It was special, and hence we wanted to desperately to keep that going. And .. we wanted to play for our people and put on a good show.
'That one good thing to reflect was the way we won those games. From behind, from in front, finals footy, it was a great run.
“And it’s an opportunity to start again.”
Oh dear.
