Rugby: Mehrtens had a foot in Tahs' win

Bernard Foley celebrates after the Waratahs beat the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final. Photo / Getty Images

The irony of Crusaders legend Andrew Mehrtens playing a significant role in the downfall of his old team was not lost on Waratahs coach Michael Cheika.

Mehrtens, who played more than 100 games for the Crusaders and won five titles with them, has been a goal-kicking consultant with the Waratahs this year. It's been a low key affair - a day a week sort of thing - but enough to help Bernard Foley extend his range and improve his accuracy.

The match-winning penalty was on the cusp of Foley's range - probably outside it. But the youngster had the confidence to go for it and the technique to nail it.

"The man kicked a goal from 43m probably just a touch outside his range to win the game, under pressure, under the guidance of Andrew [Mehrtens], said Cheika.

"Even though he's only had a small involvement, around a day a week, every inch counts and in a way he has been a big contributor in relation to the result. I love the irony of the situation."

There was probably irony to be found in the fact the Waratahs - the free-running entertainers of Super Rugby - won their title with a goal-kick. From once being a side that were painfully dull, they topped the table this year in all the categories football romantics care about - points scored, tries scored, metres made, ball carries, passes, clean breaks and offloads.

Not that they will particularly care a long range kick got their hands on the silverware. For them, a title is everything: they have been, alongside the Stormers, Super Rugby's greatest underachievers.

Their victory, though, does not in the view of Cheika herald either the start or the end of an era.

"It's a continuum, rugby," he said.

"We are never finished. The key issue is about playing our way, laying this side's identity down, letting our supporters enjoy that and start to intertwine. That's not going to finish. It's not all done now that it is done.

"We want to lay a foundation. I am looking for just honesty. To play the game we want. Let our supporters enjoy that but do it every week, year upon year, so we can sit back and say 'I want to be a Waratahs fan because this is how they play the game'. That's it."