Waratahs suffer key loss, Crusaders absolutely thump Rebels

The NSW Waratahs’ prospects of making the Super Rugby finals have suffered a crushing blow, with a 28-17 home loss to the Hurricanes.

A magical solo try by outside centre Israel Folau helped the Waratahs overturn an early 11-0 deficit to lead 17-11 early in the second half.

However, the Hurricanes produced an unanswered run of similar proportions with 17 unanswered points, which tilted the game irrevocably in their favour and gave New Zealand teams a 4-0 record over Australian teams in the penultimate round.

The Waratahs head into next week’s final round level on points with the Brumbies, who are at the top of the Australian conference by virtue of having notched one more win.

If the Waratahs lose to the Blues in Auckland next Friday, and go down without getting a bonus point, the Brumbies will wrap up the Australian conference title before their game at home to the Force on Saturday.

The Hurricanes produced the more consistent, effective and enterprising play at Allianz Stadium, with classy five-eighth Beauden Barrett finishing with 18 points.

Barrett made sure their early dominance was reflected on the scoreboard.

He pounced on a chip kick from winger Cory Jane to score a try and slotted two penalties.

NSW worked their way back into the game in the second quarter and trailed by just one point at halftime.

Giant winger Taqele Naiyaravoro crashed over the line from a pick and drive, with five-eighth Bernard Foley adding a conversion and penalty.

The latter kick came from the third penalty awarded to the Tahs after the halftime siren.

Foley’s penalty came after Hurricanes centre Willis Halaholo was sin-binned for a high tackle on the Waratahs five-eighth.

Folau put the Tahs ahead in the 43rd minute, when he showed dazzling footwork to elude three defenders and run over another, with Foley converting.

Jane and fellow All Blacks back Julian Savea scored well-executed tries and the Tahs were unable to reply, with Naiyaravoro sent to the sin bin for a second straight week.

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Meanwhile, the Crusaders have kept pace with the Chiefs at the top of Super Rugby’s New Zealand conference by thumping the Melbourne Rebels 85-26 in Christchurch.

The home side ran in 13 tries to four, with wing Johnny McNicholl getting a hat-trick, as they celebrated stand-in skipper Sam Whitelock’s 100th match in style.

With one round to go, the Crusaders are back to a point behind the Chiefs, who had secured their own bonus-point victory on Friday against the Queensland Reds.

The Rebels, who leaked 50 points last weekend against the Stormers, were out of finals contention before the match at AMI Stadium.

But the Crusaders, smarting from their loss to the Chiefs in Suva, had plenty to play for.

With regular captain Kieran Read given a rest, Whitelock led from the front, with the lock charging forward from the kick-off and then scoring the first try inside two minutes.

The Crusaders continued to show plenty of attacking intent as they went on to run in seven tries in the opening spell, with centre Ryan Crotty grabbing a double.

They were helped by handling errors, turnovers and missed tackles by the Rebels, who also struggled at set-piece.

The visitors had something to cheer late in the opening spell when, with the score at 38-0, skipper Nic Stirzaker finished off a strong run by winger Sefa Naivalu.

But the one-way traffic continued early in the second half as the Crusaders added three touchdowns in seven minutes, including a brace by hooker Codie Taylor.

There was a period of resistance from the Rebels, which included a kick-and-regather try by midfielder Reece Hodge before he went off injured.

The Crusaders responded with two tries in two minutes.

The Rebels then produced a late charge, with lock Culum Retallick dotting down from close range and Naivalu finishing off a counter-attack.

But McNicholl had the final say, getting his third five-pointer after the hooter.