Waratahs smash Highlanders 20-3
2006-04-28 13:32
Dunedin - Waratah centres Morgan Turinui and Sam Norton-Knight both scored tries on Friday, as New South Wales downed the Otago Highlanders 20-3 in a rain-soaked Super 14 rugby match at Carisbrook.
Both tries were set up by fullback Peter Hewat.
Hewat kicked two conversions and two penalties to reclaim his place as the leading scorer in this season's competition.
His high kick, from a Highlanders turnover, dropped behind the defence in the 38th minute. It was pounced on by Turinui, after an Otago defender carried it back over his own goal line.
Another Hewat up-and-under was dropped by Highlanders fullback Ben Blair near his 22m line.
Hewat regained the ball and handed an infield pass to Norton-Knight who slewed over near the posts.
The win lifted the Waratahs level with the Canterbury Crusaders at the top of the Super 14 table. The Crusaders play the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
The match hinged on defence
New South Wales is now almost assured of a home semi-final while the Highlanders' defeat stripped them of their last, faint play-off hope.
Friday's match hinged on defence and in that area the Waratahs were superior.
Waratahs captain Chris Whittaker said: "We aren't used to these conditions in Australia. It was wet and pretty tough out there.
"The Highlanders had a lot of ball but our defence held in there and they made a couple of mistakes from which we scored tries."
The Highlanders kept the Waratahs pinned in their half for more than 80% of the first half, although the visitors' few forays into Otago territory brought Turinui's try and two penalties to Hewat.
New South Wales' superb defence, the best in the competition so far, restricted the Highlanders to a single penalty.
- AP