Turner denies Blues
An intercept try to Lachie Turner helped the Waratahs secure a 39-32 victory over the Blues in Sydney.
Last Updated: 27/03/10 12:14pm
Lachlan Turner went the length-of-the-field for a spectacular intercept try to secure a 39-32 come-from-behind victory for the Waratahs against the Blues in Sydney.
The Waratahs took a 21-19 lead into the break but soon found themselves trailing when Blues centre Rene Ranger scored his second try in the 50th minute.
Tatafu Polota-Nau's barrelling effort on the hour levelled things up but Stephen Brett answered immediately with a penalty goal to put the visitors back in front.
Momentum stayed with the Blues who looked certain to score before Turner swooped on a pass from reserve scrum-half Taniela Moa and raced 95 metres for the match winner.
A penalty goal to Daniel Halangahu stretched the lead to seven points which, despite some nervous moments, proved enough for the hosts who scored five tries to two in front of an appreciative 20,413 crowd.
The win sees the Waratahs hold on to fourth position in the Super 14 while the Blues remain in ninth despite claiming two bonus points.
Expansive
The Waratahs honoured their pre-match promise to play a more expansive game and were rewarded with a 14-0 lead after 10 minutes.
Lock Dean Mumm made the most of some enterprising lead-up play from front-rowers Benn Robinson and Polota-Nau when he fended off Serge Lilo to open from the hosts' account in just the fourth minute.
Halangahu made no mistake from directly in front for the 7-0 advantage.
Mumm looked certain to score his double moments later but was cut down by some desperate Blues defence.
But there was no denying Halangahu who shrugged off Jerome Kaino and Kurtis Haiu on his way to the line.
Having been pinned in their own half from the opening whistle, the Blues made the most of their first venture into enemy territory when Rudi Wulf muscled his way through four defenders to open the visitors' account in the 13th minute.
Brett's conversion cut the deficit to 14-7 after 14 minutes.
The Waratahs went straight back on the attack and restored their 14-point buffer when Halangahu scored his second try after some nice interplay from Phil Waugh and Wycliff Palu.
But the Blues had the final say of the half scoring twice in the final six minutes to cut the deficit to 21-19 at the interval.
Flowing
Isaia Toeava handled twice before touching down out wide in the 34th minute after a brilliant backline movement that also featured Joe Rokocoko and Wulf.
Ranger was next to strike from close range to send the Blues into the break with the momentum.
The Blues continued to dominate and took their first lead of the night, and a bonus point, when Ranger made it a double 10 minutes in after a lengthy build-up Halangahu and Brett traded penalty goals in the 54th and 56th minutes before Polota-Nau levelled things up in the 59th minute to the delight of the home crowd.
The Blues were caught napping as Polota-Nau and Ben Mowen combined at the frond of the lineout with the powerful rake barrelled over despite Wulf's best efforts.
Halangahu was unable to land the sideline conversion to leave the sides locked at 29-29 on the hour.
