In a pulsating season opener, replacement prop Siosifa Amone emerged as the unlikely hero, scoring in the final minute to give the NSW Waratahs a thrilling 37-36 victory over the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium.
Key Moments:
6′ – Tangitau scores opening try for Highlanders after loose ball from contested bomb
26′ – Tavatavanawai powers over to extend Highlanders lead
29′ – Dunshea yellow carded for high shot on Porecki
34′ – Leota scores for Waratahs after Tupou assist
40′ – Tangitau yellow carded, Edmed penalty gives Waratahs 13-12 halftime lead
47′ – Porecki scores from rolling maul
57′ – Lasaqa responds for Highlanders
62′ – Jorgensen crosses after Suaalii break
64′ – Tangitau scores his second with brilliant individual effort
68′ – Amone’s first try from lineout move
71′ – Kautai puts Highlanders ahead
80′- Amone scores match-winner, Bowen converts
The Waratahs’ first-half strategy revealed early-season nerves, with an over-reliance on the high ball that yielded mixed results. Despite the presence of code-hopping star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, their constant bombing tactics often handed possession back to the Highlanders, with the debutant fullback struggling to dominate the aerial contests as hoped.
The match’s opening try exposed the risks of this aerial approach. After a contested bomb, the ball pinballed between players before falling to Caleb Tangitau, who put his sevens pedigree to devastating effect, accelerating past the defense and stepping around Andrew Kellaway on his way to the tryline.
The Highlanders’ second try came through birthday boy Timoci Tavatavanawai, who proved unstoppable from close range after Nathan Hastie had orchestrated several phases of quick ball that stretched the Waratahs’ defense. The visitors’ high-tempo approach was paying dividends, but their momentum halted when Mitchell Dunshea was yellow-carded for a high shot on Dave Porecki.
The Waratahs capitalized on their numerical advantage when Rob Leota crossed for their first try. The movement began with quick lineout ball, before Taniela Tupou surprised everyone with a long cut-out pass that put Leota into space, the flanker cruising over untouched in the corner.
After the break, the Waratahs struck first through Dave Porecki, who controlled the ball perfectly at the back of a powerful rolling maul that showed the home team’s growing forward dominance. The Highlanders responded through Veveni Lasaqa, who picked a perfect line off Folau Fakatava’s shoulder to crash over from close range.
Max Jorgensen’s try was a testament to the Waratahs’ improved second-half attack. Suaalii, finding his feet in the running game after his earlier aerial struggles, broke the line with a powerful surge before drawing the last defender to put Jorgensen away in the corner.
Tangitau’s second try was the game’s most spectacular moment. After a quick lineout caught the Waratahs napping, the wing received the ball on halfway, beat three defenders with a combination of pace and footwork, before finishing with a spectacular dive in the corner.
Amone’s first try came from a clever lineout variation, with the prop receiving the ball on a short angle to crash over. However, the Highlanders seemed to have secured victory when Sefo Kautai burrowed over after sustained pressure, the try coming from a multi-phase attack that began with a brilliant counter-attack by Finn Hurley.
The match-winning score demonstrated the Waratahs’ forward supremacy in the closing stages. After multiple phases of direct running that drew in the tiring Highlanders defense, Amone received the ball five meters out, spun through two tackles, and stretched out to plant the ball beside the posts. Jack Bowen’s conversion sealed a remarkable victory.
The visitors’ discipline proved costly, with yellow cards to Dunshea and Tangitau forcing them to play 20 minutes with 14 men. Despite this, they remained dangerous throughout, with Tangitau’s two spectacular tries displaying his attacking prowess and Tavatavanawai dominating the midfield collisions.
As the game wore on, the Waratahs’ forward dominance began to tell. Tupou and the home pack increasingly won the collision area, providing the platform for their backs to play with more freedom. This shift in momentum proved crucial in Amone’s match-winning try.
The victory marks an impressive start to Dan McKellar’s tenure as the Waratahs look to bounce back from last season’s wooden spoon. While their performance was far from perfect, the character shown to secure victory, particularly in the forward exchanges, will please the new coaching staff.
The Highlanders, under returning coach Jamie Joseph, proved their new high-tempo approach could trouble any team in the competition. Their fitness levels were evident throughout, though they struggled to maintain their early dominance in the collisions as the game progressed.
The match served as a mixed debut for Suaalii. After struggling under the high ball in the first half, he showed his potential in the second period with several strong runs and clever link play, particularly in the lead-up to Jorgensen’s try. His performance reflected the broader pattern of the match – moments of uncertainty mixed with flashes of brilliance.
Both teams revealed early-season rust with handling errors and defensive lapses providing plenty of material for review. However, the attacking intent and resilience shown by both sides suggests they’ll be fascinating to watch as the season progresses. The Waratahs proved they have the talent to be title contenders, while the Highlanders, despite the loss, showed they can challenge any team with their high-octane style.
Final Score: NSW Waratahs 37 (Tries: Leota, Porecki, Jorgensen, Amone 2; Conversions: Edmed 2, Bowen 2; Penalties: Edmed 2) defeated Highlanders 36 (Tries: Tangitau 2, Tavatavanawai, Lasaqa, Kautai; Conversions: Gilbert 3, Millar; Penalties: Gilbert 1)
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