Lions fail to find their roar
New South Wales Waratahs completed a 29-12 win over the Lions in their Super Rugby clash in Sydney on Saturday.
Last Updated: 21/05/11 1:45pm
New South Wales Waratahs completed a 29-12 win over the Lions in their Super Rugby clash in Sydney on Saturday.
First-half tries by Kurtley Beale, Ryan Cross, and Tom Kingston plus a brace from Sosene Anesi saw the Waratahs to their 10th successive win over Johannesburg-based side.
The result left the Lions, who crossed twice through Dylan Des Fountain and Jaco Taute, rooted to the foot of the table with just two wins from 13 matches.
Beale opened the hosts' account in the second minute after putting Lachie Turner away down the right wing.
The fullback collected the winger's return pass inside and ran in for the try but could not add the extras from wide on the right.
Sin-binned
Lions full-back Taute pulled five points back with a 14th minute try when he won the race to the ball from Butch James' grubber kick.
But within six minutes Anesi collected his first to make it 10-5 and three minutes later Beale sped through to take Berrick Barnes' pinpoint cross-field kick before floating a ball over for Cross to score out wide.
Beal added the conversion to make it 17-5 and to make matters worse the visitors quickly found themselves down to 14 men, when lock Deon Van Rensburg was sin-binned for kneeing Waratahs skipper Dean Mumm in the head.
New South Wales wasted no time in pushing their advantage home, Anesi crossing for his second on 29 minutes after pouncing on a Luke Burgess box kick.
It took just six more minutes for the home side to score again, replacement winger Tom Kingston going in for the Waratahs' fifth try and Beale converting to make it 29-5 at the break.
Clinical
The second half was a dour affair, Lions replacement Dylan Des Fountain scoring the only try with 10 minutes left. Elton Jantjies added the extras to make it 29-12 at the final whistle.
"I think the first half was pretty pleasing," said Mumm. "In the second half, we had to look to relieve a bit of pressure, and the Lions' defense was very tough."
Mumm's counterpart Doppies La Grange said his side had not been 'not physical enough'.
"I think we stayed in neutral, maybe a little bit backwards," said the Lions skipper. "We weren't clinical tonight like we were last week."
