WARATAHS 37
BLUES 16
KEY POINTS:
The Blues' hold on a Super 14 rugby top-four spot looks increasingly tenuous after a 37-16 pounding from the Waratahs last night.
Roared on by a crowd of 27,000 at the Sydney Football Stadium, the Waratahs looked galvanised by the midweek decision not to renew coach Ewen McKenzie's contract as they dominated throughout.
The error-ridden Blues meanwhile return to Auckland clinging to third spot on the points table but they'll be looking over their shoulders after their mediocre March spilled into April.
The five tries to two victory was the hosts' first maximum points of the season and kept them right in playoff contention just outside the top-four.
Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri sealed victory with a try 12 minutes from fulltime from a cutback with Sam Norton-Knight, taking him to 25 Super rugby tries and beating Matt Burke's Waratahs record.
Lock Dean Mumm then put the boot in on the fulltime hooter with their fifth try, and first five-eighth Kurtley Beale converted from the sideline to add the icing.
The Waratahs were imposing up front and dominated possession from the start, halfback Luke Burgess was a constant menace and alarm bells were sounding for the Blues at 8-18 down at the break.
It was a torrid first 40 minutes for the Blues who had to make a mountain of tackles and were stung for 11 penalties or free kicks by South African referee Marius Jonker.
After an early Nick Evans penalty, the Waratahs scored the first try after nearly 10 minutes of hammering at the Blues' line.
Prop Benn Robinson finally dived over from a ruck after the Blues foiled several attacks.
The Blues struck back five minutes later from a spark by winger Joe Rokocoko and a pinpoint Evans kick.
Rokocoko, starved of possession for most of the half, ran back an errant kick and set up a quick ruck from which Evans dashed clear.
He grubbered to the left-hand corner, Isaia Toeava caught fullback Lachie Turner in possession and captain Troy Flavell dived on the loose ball to score.
Jonker then lost patience with the Blues' attempts to slow the ball at the breakdown and All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu spent the final 10 minutes of the first half in the sinbin.
It cost the Blues 10 points as the hosts kicked a penalty then struck the crucial blow just before halftime.
Evans and Flavell muffed an exchange in the midfield and Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polata-Nau pounced and raced 50m to score.
The Blues attacked early in the second half but just had an Evans penalty to show for it in the third quarter.
The heavy defensive workload started to take its toll and the Waratahs stormed back, Wallabies loose forward Wycliff Palu scoring after a Tuqiri break from a scrum to make it 25-11 with 20 minutes left.
Benson Stanley crossed out wide for the Blues with 16 minutes left to narrow the gap to 11 points, but it was only damage limitation as Tuqiri stormed over four minutes later at the other end.
Blues captain Flavell praised the Waratahs but said his own side's efforts were starting to have a familiar ring.
"They've been building momentum from week to week and they (Waratahs) just lifted their performance tonight," he told ABC radio.
"That first half we just defended and defended, and we made a lot of pretty basic mistakes.
"We must be overdue a great performance, we've been like that for a few weeks now."
- NZPA
