Waratahs too good for Highlanders
PRE-SEASON REPORT: A youthful Waratahs side have overcome a horror start to beat the Highlanders 40-21 in a Super Rugby pre-season match at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.
Playing under coach Rob Penney for the first time on Friday, the Highlanders were gifted a couple of early tries before finished with five tries to three.
Stand-in captain and inside centre Karmichael Hunt had a pass intercepted in the second minute and the Highlanders also crossed after a wayward Tahs line-out.
But as the game progressed the Waratahs put together several good passages of play, with backs and forwards linking well.
Down 7-14 at halftime, the home team executed well in the second half with five tries to one.
Among the younger players to impress was fullback Mark Nawaqanitawase, who was a member of the Junior Wallabies squad that finished runners-up at last year's worlds Under-20 championships.
He showed a number of nice touches through the game.
Mack Mason and Will Harrison each had some good moments at five-eighth, with the later setting up a couple of third-quarter tries.
Teenage flanker Carlo Tizzano scored a couple of second-half tries for the Tahs, whose starting side included three Wallabies in prop Tom Robertson, halfback Jake Gordon, and Hunt.
The Highlanders didn't field any of their All Blacks.
Teams:
Waratahs: 15 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 14 Cam Clark, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Karmichael Hunt (captain), 11 Alex Newsome, 10 Mack Mason, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Jed Holloway, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Tom Staniforth, 4 Ryan McCauley, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Robbie Abel, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements – from: Damien Fitzpatrick, Tetera Faulkner, Pat Tafa, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Rory O’Connor, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Angus Bell, Andrew Tuala, Chris Talakai, James Ramm, Joey Walton, Mitch Short, Will Harrison, Ben Donaldson, Triston Reilly, Michael McDonal.
Highlanders squad:
Forwards: Ayden Johnstone, Nathan Vella, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Jesse Parete, Pari Pari Parkinson, Sione Misiloi, James Lentjes (captain), Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Sabastion Siataga, Isaac Salmon, Josh Dickson, Zane Kapeli, Dillon Hunt, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u.
Backs: Kayne Hammington, Mitch Hunt, Scott Gregory, Josh Ioane, Sio Tomkinson, Tima Fainga’anuku, Josh McKay, Folau Fakatava, Bryn Gatland, Jona Nareki, Aleki Morris, Chris Kuridrani, Michael Collins.
Referees: Graham Cooper (Australia)
Assistant referees: Amy Perrett (Australia), James Quinn (Australia)