Beale Helps Tahs Win Ugly
Beale laid on a sublime first-half try for Timana Tahu - one of the game's few highlights - and then booted NSW to a lead they would not surrender in a lacklustre second half to extend the Waratahs' winning streak at home to eight games.
That run stretches back to April 2007 when, ironically, it was the Waikato side who were the last away team to taste victory at the SFS.
The Waratahs were unbeaten there last year and have earmarked a run of six home games from their first nine this season as vital to their chances of backing up last year's appearance in the final.
The New Zealand side had won the last three clashes between the franchises, despite their inability to make the Super 14 finals in any of those years.
The Chiefs led 7-5 at the break after the Waratahs let slip an early advantage and, while Beale missed his first three shots, a penalty goal and drop goal after the break saw the Waratahs home unconvincingly.
Dominating the territory and possession and at times decimating the visitors' set-piece play, the Waratahs failed to capitalise and allowed a depleted Chiefs outfit to claim the unlikely lead.
The Waratahs had scored first in the 16th minute through a superb chip from Beale for a wide-ranging Tahu to gather on the full and dive over untouched, allowing the crowd of 21,581 to briefly believe they would be treated to a spectacle.
But as the frantic early tempo settled, so too did the Chiefs, who began turning the tide in the 25th minute but winger Sitiveni Sivivatu couldn't control a Stephen Donald grubber and knocked on over the tryline.
The visitors didn't have to wait long to get on the board though, with prop Sona Taumalolo barging his way over two minutes later.
The Waratahs regained the lead in the 54th minute when Beale kicked his first goal of the night, a penalty after a high shot on young-gun Rob Horne, before extending the advantage to 11-7 in the 59th when he landed a low, flat drop goal.
While the Waratahs never hit top gear, the Chiefs imploded, particularly in the lineout where they were continually pulled up for not throwing straight and with a succession of handling errors.
Brumbies Beat Crusaders in Heart Stopping Win
In a match which lived up to expectations, the Brumbies won a heart-stopping affair after fullback Mark Gerrard levelled the scores with a try in the dying seconds of the match.
It is the second week in a row the Brumbies have secured a late victory after winning with a drop goal in the final minutes of their clash with the Highlanders.
Brumbies coach Andy Friend said it was again encouraging to see his side play out a full match.
"It's a good sign actually. Ideally we'd prefer to not have to wait until the last minute to win the game," Friend said.
Friend said he expected nothing less than a tight struggle with the reigning Super 14 champions.
"Their defence was superb, their line-speed was phenomenal, their physicality was great and forced us into a lot of errors," he said.
"We haven't experienced anything like that in pre-season or at training, you can't replicate that sort of stuff but we'll be better for having experienced that tonight."
Despite missing All Blacks trio Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn and Leon MacDonald, the Crusaders showed the depth they are renowned for, holding in their own at the breakdown.
The sides traded blows throughout a scrappy first half, scoring a try a piece with Crusaders star centre Casey Lualala and Brumbies No.10 Christian Lealiifano both crossing the line, but it was the visitors that went to the break in front 11-8.
The Brumbies played their best rugby late in the second half, with Gerrard a standout.
But it was Mortlock that stepped up to clinch victory with a conversion from wide out in windy conditions before a crowd of 17,500.
Mortlock, however, was reluctant to take credit for the heart-stopping win, adding that it was reward for the hard work put in the off-season.
"A huge part of what the guys have done in the off-season was all about the little things, character, and it's shown in both performances so far this season," Mortlock said.
"It's a solid foundation ... but we all know there's a lot of things we need to improve on."
Super 14 Collated Results and Standings-Round 2
HURRICANES 22 (Jason Eaton, David Smith, Conrad Smith tries Daniel Kirkpatrick, Piri Weepu cons Kirkpatrick pen) bt HIGHLANDERS 17 (Daniel Bowden, Stephen Setephano tries Bowden 2 cons pen) at Westpac Stadium. Referee: Vinny Munro (NZL).
NSW WARATAHS 11 (Timana Tahu try Kurtley Beale pen drop goal) bt CHIEFS 7 (Arizona Taumalolo try Stephen Donald con) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Stuart Dickinson (AUS). Crowd: 21,581.
WESTERN FORCE 16 (James O'Connor try Matt Giteau con 2 pens drop goal) bt CHEETAHS 10 (Danwel Demas try Jacques-Louis Potgieter con pen) at Subiaco Oval. Referee: James Leckie (AUS).
STORMERS 27 (Andries Bekker, Tonderai Chavhanga, Sireli Naqelevuki tries Peter Grant 3 cons 2 pens) bt QUEENSLAND REDS 24 (Quade Cooper, Saia Faingaa, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries tries Ben Lucas 2 cons) at Newlands Rugby Stadium. Referee: Chris Pollock (NZL).
BRUMBIES 18 (Mark Gerrard, Christian Lealiifano tries Stirling Mortlock con Gerrard, Mortlock pens) bt CRUSADERS 16 (Ross Filipo, Casey Laulala tries Stephen Brett, Colin Slade pens) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Bryce Lawrence (NZL).
BULLS 59 (Pierre Spies 2, Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Olivier, Dewald Potgieter tries Morne Steyn 4, Burton Kenvin Francis 2 cons Steyn 3 pens drop goal) bt BLUES 26 (Rene Ranger, Benson Stanley, Isaia Toeava, Anthony Tuitavake tries Jimmy Gopperth 2, Michael Hobbs cons) at Loftus Versfeld. Referee: Mark Lawrence (RSA).
SHARKS 25 (Deon Carstens, Ryan Kankowski, JP Pietersen tries Rory Kockott 2 cons Kockott, Ruan Pienaar pens) bt LIONS 10 (Ashwin Willemse try Earl Rose con drop goal) at ABSA Stadium. Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (RSA).
Super 14 Ladder P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
- Bulls 2 2 0 0 92 46 46 2 10
- NSW Waratahs 2 2 0 0 37 29 8 1 9
- Brumbies 2 2 0 0 51 47 4 1 9
- Sharks 2 2 0 0 45 25 20 0 8
- Blues 2 1 0 1 51 78 -27 2 6
- Crusaders 2 1 0 1 35 31 4 1 5
- Hurricanes 2 1 0 1 44 43 1 1 5
- Western Force 2 1 0 1 35 35 0 1 5
- Stormers 2 1 0 1 42 44 -2 1 5
- Lions 2 1 0 1 44 53 -9 1 5
- Highlanders 2 0 0 2 48 55 -7 3 3
- Chiefs 2 0 0 2 20 30 -10 2 2
- Cheetahs 2 0 0 2 38 50 -12 2 2
- Queensland Reds 2 0 0 2 44 60 -16 2 2
Top point scorers (tries, conversions, field goals, penalty goals, points):
Morne Steyn (Bulls) - 6 1 6 33
Mark Gerrard (Brumbies) 2 2 - 3 23
Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Cheetahs) 1 3 - 4 23
Daniel Bowden (H'landers) 2 5 - 1 23
Peter Grant (Stormers) 1 4 - 3 22
Daniel Kirkpatrick (Hurricanes) 1 3 - 2 17
Rory Kockott (Sharks) - 4 - 3 17
Earl Rose (Lions) - 5 2 - 16
Ashwin Willemse (Lions) 3 - - - 15
Matt Giteau (Force) - 3 1 2 15
Casey Laulala (Crusaders) 3 - - - 15
Pierre Spies (Bulls) 3 - - - 15
Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies) 2 1 - 1 15
LEADING TRYSCORERS
3: Casey Laulala (Crusaders), Ashwin Willemse (Lions), Pierre Spies (Bulls)
2: Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), Wynand Olivier (Bulls), Mark Gerrard (Brumbies), Daniel Bowden (H'landers), Fourie du Preez (Bulls)
