Rugby: Waratahs off and running

Rob Horne of the Waratahs in action. Photo / Getty Images

Waratahs 34 Sharks30

Booed off the park last week by disgruntled fans, the Waratahs have been enduring the rugby blues every bit as much as the Blues so far this season - but last night found their way forward.

Lamentable in their one point loss to the lowly Force last week, the Waratahs gave away their stock in trade of stern defence designed to cause penalty-earning mistakes by opponents.

Instead, they played running rugby - and may have stopped their season from going quite so noisily down the plughole.

Eager to dull the sting of their rather barren effort against the Force, they were at their best with the ball in hand - scoring key tries to fullback Brendan Foley, midfielder Tom Carter and winger Tom Kingston to snatch the match from a solid Sharks unit who led for most of the game.

The clincher was the thrilling try to Kingston, after fine build-up work from fiery forwards Dean Mumm, Tatafu Polota-Nau and the Timani brothers, Sitaleki and Lopeti.

It was the sort of touchdown which gives a team faith in itself - something which has been clearly lacking in the Waratahs so far this season.

The Sharks are probably not a championship-winning side but they have combination, understanding and a presence at the breakdown. They have a solid scrum and lineout, flanker Marcell Coetzee is a foil for the likes of big bash merchant Willem Alberts and captain Keegan Daniel at No 8 - and big second five Meyer Bosman's flat passes found gaps and caused problems all day.

They struck back after a try to goalkicking halfback Brett McKibbin to lead 17-13 at halftime after a rolling maul try to Daniel.

The match stayed in the balance well into the second half, the Sharks scoring through another forwards try to muscular hooker Bismarck du Plessis before the Waratahs finally found their backline rhythm with a fine try to Foley after battering work by Wycliff Palu and Sitaleki Timani.

Minutes later, they were over again, Carter scoring under the bar after an awful attempt to run out of deep defence by Sharks' centre Tim Whitehead.

That was the turning point of the match, followed soon after by Mumm's raging run downfield and the try to Kingston.

The win propelled the hosts from 11th into the top half of the table.

Maybe, just maybe, the Waratahs have found their mojo in 2012.

Waratahs 34 (B. McKibbin, B. Foley, T. Carter, T. Kingston tries; McKibbin 3 con, 2 pen; B. Barnes con), Sharks 30 (L. Mvovo, K. Daniel, B. du Plessis tries; P. Lambie 3 con, 3 pen). Halftime: 13-17.