The NSW Waratahs suffered their 10th straight loss of the season when absorbing many of the same old lessons against the Blues at their Eden Park stronghold.
What did we learn from the 48-21 loss when the Waratahs were overrun by more Kiwi firepower?
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1 TREATING THE BALL LIKE DIRT NOT DIAMONDS
You only apply pressure to Kiwi sides by holding onto the ball and building the heat. The Waratahs just never treasured the ball enough from pushed passes handing back possession to having a pass intercepted at the death to hand the Kiwis their final try.
Losing lock Max Douglas to injury after three minutes was always going to compromise the lineout so there’s a bit of an excuse for conceding possession there.
2 JAKE THE GREAT
NSW skipper Jake Gordon has shown his class time and again in losing causes this season.
He was at it again in Auckland. He made probing metres from quick taps, made a dangerous run when intercepting the pass of opposite number Finlay Christie and generally gave his troops direction.
3 DEFENSIVE MISFIRES
It was astonishing how free a ride that Blues’ runners had through the middle of the ruck. Blues halfback Finlay Christie joined Nic White (Brumbies), Tate McDermott (Reds) and others on the list of halfbacks who have speared through sloppy defence on the edge of scrums.
The Waratahs were conceding 36 points a game even before Super Rugby Trans-Tasman kicked off. There was some admirable scrambling with four players dashing back to thwart one early Blues' breakout. Some Charlie Gamble grit and others doing their best in defence was positive but the Waratahs’ system on D is broken.
Fourteen tackles were missed by half-time.
How can you score 10 tries against Kiwi sides over two weekends and still be well beaten?
4 REDHEADS RULE
How often do you see such a strong ranga representation in rugby?
From Waratahs prop Harry Johnson-Holmes to impressive Blues halfback Finlay Christie to the red mane of Blues’ flanker Tom Robinson, this was a red-letter day for the proud recessive gene.
5 ANGUS BELL: WORKRATE
Waratahs prop Angus Bell has really stepped up with his workrate as a ball-runner. It has always been a feature of his game but when the Waratahs are looking for a willing go-forward body, Bell always fronts.
He scored one try and was held up just short of the line on another occasion when his disappointment at conceding a scrum feed to the Blues was obvious.
The Wallabies will keep grooming the young prop, who is still learning at scrum time. Playing powerful Kiwi props week-to-week is just what he needs.
