Rugby: Waratahs secure five-try victory

Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs runs the ball. Photo / Getty Images

Waratahs 29
Lions 12

The NSW Waratahs won back some respect with an enterprising 29-12 Super Rugby victory over the Lions at the Sydney Football Stadium on night.

The Waratahs broke the shackles with a five-try bonus-point triumph to consolidate their place in the top six on the eve of their departure to South Africa for pivotal games against fellow finals aspirants the Sharks and Bulls.

Only 14,123 people witnessed NSW's biggest win in six weeks, but they certainly left the SFS in a better mood than the 100 or so who vented their frustrations at the Waratahs' drab playing style at a brutal fan forum on Thursday night.

Indeed, the small but appreciative crowd gave the Waratahs a rare standing ovation at halftime after the home team piled on their five tries before the interval, including a double to winger Sosene Anesi.

The Tahs made a dream start, with Kurtley Beale starting and finishing a beautiful try after just 68 seconds.

The classy fullback put Lachie Turner away down the right wing with a crisp pass and backed up on the inside to score out wide.

The Lions briefly drew level in the 14th minute with a try to fullback Jaco Taute, who won the race to the ball after a clever Butch James grubber kick into the Waratahs in-goal area.

NSW regained the lead eight minutes later when slick hands from the backline sent winger Anesi over for his maiden try for the Waratahs.

Beale again missed the sideline conversion attempt, leaving the hosts up 10-5.

Beale atoned two minutes later when he was instrumental in a magical try to centre Ryan Cross.

After a midfield bust from big prop Sekope Kepu, Beale sped through to take Berrick Barnes' well-executed cross-field kick and then floated a lovely ball over for Cross to score out wide.

This time Beale slotted the conversion to make it 17-5 and, in an added bonus, the Lions were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when lock Deon Van Rensburg was sin-binned for kneeing NSW captain Dean Mumm in the head in a preceding ruck.

The Tahs quickly capitalised on their advantage with Anesi swooping on a Luke Burgess box kick to grab his second try of the night and secure his side their all-important bonus point in the process.

The hosts went to the break in total command after replacement winger Tom Kingston, on for the blood-binned Turner, also crossed for his first-ever Super Rugby five-pointer just before halftime.

The Lions netted a consolation try through replacement Dylan Des Foutain nine minutes before fulltime, but the result was never in doubt for the Waratahs despite being kept scoreless in the second half.

NSW WARATAHS 29 (Sosene Anesi 2, Kurtley Beale, Ryan Cross, Tom Kingston tries Beale 2 cons) bt LIONS 12 (Dylan Des Fountain, Jaco Taute tries Elton Jantjies con) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Marius Jonker. Crowd: 14,123.