Rugby: Languorous Waratahs put Rebels to sleep

Ryan Cross of the Waratahs is tackled by Stirling Mortlock of the Rebels. Photo / Getty Images

Waratahs 28
Rebels 9

They may have been 12 points behind the conference-topping Reds at the start of this game but the Waratahs should have taken heart from the Queenslanders' shock loss to the Hurricanes last night.

Should have. Instead of taking heart, they seemed to take a bit of a sleeping pill against the Rebels.

The loss to the Reds last week seemed to take the 'Tahs out of contention and, even with this week's reversal suffered by the Reds, their best hope may be to catch the sixth-placed Sharks on the table. The Reds have a tough run-in and 8 points is a lot easier to haul in than 12 - but the Waratahs will have to do better than this.

The Waratahs won the first clash with the Rebels 43-0 but last night were without Phil Waugh, Drew Mitchell and Wycliff Palu - their most influential players along with fullback Kurtley Beale. They had Berrick Barnes back from concussion problems and the wet night meant the first five could play territory; feeding the Waratahs' patient, percentage-based game.

Barnes is a fine distributor and tactician but the Waratahs' problem in recent weeks has been penetration and an inability to make it count when in their opponents' 22. After four weeks out, Barnes - never a twinkle-toed attacker - was also a little ring-rusty.

Last week, the Waratahs had the ball, the field position and efficiency in all things except getting the ball over the line against some spirited Reds' defence. So it should have been a relief; a door-opener; when hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau charged over following some good lead-up work by Beale and winger Lachie Turner. But the Waratahs only spluttered along after that.

The Rebels kept in touch with penalties but, even though benched first five Danny Cipriani has the defensive heart of a fantail, their attacking options seem reduced without him.

This game therefore hinged on kicks, set pieces and wet-night defence; interesting only because the score wasn't 43-0. The Rebels pulled up to 10-9 after halftime without ever convincing that they would take matters in hand; just as the Waratahs again failed to convince on attack.

The second half was mostly penalties, errors and turnovers - about as entertaining as a plate of cold porridge. You knew it was a dire match when the major points of interest were Polota-Nau knocking himself out with one of his kamikaze tackles and when you found yourself studying Beale's silly moustache.

The Waratahs were happy to choke the life out of the game until they got a rolling maul going and flanker Dave Dennis scored, followed by a touchdown to lock Dean Mumm after a Ryan Cross run. However, if they did make the top six, they'd have to find some real attacking ability from somewhere. Please.

Waratahs 28 (T. Polota-Nau, D. Dennis, D. Mumm tries; K. Beale 2 con, 3 pen), Rebels 9 (J. Huxley 3 pen). Halftime: 10-6.