The Waratahs’ finals dream is alive and kicking after Darby Lancaster’s 90th minute try iced a thrilling 22-17 Super Point win over the Western Force.
The one-cap Wallaby winger scored in the final seconds of Super Point to keep New South Wales’ season afloat with referee Angus Gardner deliberating at length before awarding Lancaster’s acrobatic one-handed finish in driving conditions at HBF Park.
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Lancaster’s try capped a mad-cap Super Point period in which Alex Harford and Jack Bowen both missed penalty goal attempts while Kurtley Beale’s 52m effort also fell short just before the end of regulation time.
“I was unsure whether it popped up but lucky enough with the big screen behind us here for the referee to give it,” Lancaster told Stan Sport after full-time.
“I’m absolutely stoked – that was a hell of a grind. Credit to Western Force, they took us all the way.
“Jack Bowen sort of took over there (in Super Point). He’s really coming into his footy and it’s a pleasure to be playing behind them.”
The result sees New South Wales (26 competition points) close the gap on the sixth-placed Blues (28) ahead of next week’s final round clash in Auckland while the Force are now at risk of finishing bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder with their upcoming bye.
Earlier, the Waratahs fired up the HBF Park scoreboard after just four minutes through Tristan Reilly, who picked off a Ben Donaldson second-phase block play and streaked away 50m downfield to score under the sticks.
Force fans didn’t have to wait long for their side to strike back though with Carlo Tizzano muscling his way through a Joey Walton tackle and over the chalk after 10 minutes, taking his record-breaking season tally to 13 tries.
NSW looked to wrestle back control through the boot with Darby Lancaster and Tane Edmed threading pinpoint kicks into the Force’s 22m but the hosts were dogged in defence, twice repelling the Waratahs before a Fatongia Paea pilfer turned the tide.
Momentum quickly swung back the visitors’ way after 19 minutes when Reilly picked off another loose Force pass, leading to a slick interplay between Tane Edmed, Darby Lancaster, Jake Gordon and Hugh Sinclair to put Lancaster over against the run of play.
Edmed’s conversion put the Waratahs ahead 14-5 and Dan McKellar’s side could’ve gone further in front following an off-the-ball shot from Nick Champion de Crespigny on Reilly that handed NSW prime real estate in the Force’s 22m
A clutch Donaldson turnover saved the hosts’ blushes and five minutes later, it was the Wallaby flyhalf again pulling strings in a sparkling passage that put Mac Grealy over the whitewash.
Donaldson’s deft hands put Hamish Stewart through a half-gap with the inside centre finding Dylan Pietsch in support, who promptly linked up with Bayley Kuenzle to feed Grealy back inside and across for the Force’s second try.
Buoyed, the hosts instantly broke free from the Waratahs’ restart with Darcy Swain making a rare line-break before Taniela Tupou piggy-backed the Force further downfield with a tackle off the ball on Darcy Swain.
Stewart needed no further invitation from the ensuing line out platform, striking in the 37th minute with a tackle-shredding run that left two Waratahs in his wake for his side’s third try – complete with a post-try fracas featuring Fergus Lee-Warner.
The 17-14 margin held through to oranges and – incredibly - for another 34 minutes after that as the Force and Waratahs settled into an almost entirely scoreless second half.
A Tupou yellow card for tripping Stewart in the 43rd minute threatened to derail NSW’s hopes, as did a reversed penalty against Angus Bell for throwing the ball at a felled Force player, but the Waratahs held grimly with Joey Walton and Hugh Sinclair producing clutch defensive plays on their own try line.
NSW eventually recovered possession and laid siege to their hosts’ 22m, only to be twice denied, first by a vital Stewart pilfer and then Kurtley Beale’s flying mark ahead of an airborne Reilly near the hour mark.
A 65th minute Force scrum penalty sent the Sea of Blue into a soaked frenzy before Potter and Stewart again combined to send the Waratahs back downfield into their defensive 22m
The Waratahs fought back upfield and pressed again once more but would turn down multiple chances to equalise in the final exchanges before relenting in the 75th minute after Force prop Tiaan Taukipulu was yellow carded for repeated infringements.
Jack Bowen’s three-point attempt sailed through to lock up the scores at 17-all with five minutes remaining, though there was late drama to come as an 80th minute Harry Potter turnover handed Beale the opportunity to strike a matchwinner in the wet.
While admirable, Beale’s effort from 52m out faded right and a touch short to send the Aussie rivals to Super Point.
The Waratahs had the first and best attacking chance of Super Point, building eight phases deep in the Force’s half before Williams and Tizzano combined to force a maul and scrum reset.
The hosts then doubled down with back-to-back penalties, first against Dan Botha (scrum collapse) and a second from the ensuing line out that gave Force rookie Alex Harford an opportunity to slot the matchwinner from 48m out near the left touchline.
However, Harford’s attempt fell well short with the Waratahs counterpunching upfield to force a grandstand finish.
An 88th minute penalty against Jeremy Williams could’ve been the dagger blow but Jack Bowen’s penalty goal attempt sailed right, leading to a scrambling final minute that saw Jamie Adamson break free to send Botha and Wilson before the ball was flung wide and left for a spectacular Lancaster finish.
WARATAHS 22 (Lancaster 2, Reilly tries; Edmes 2 cons, Bowen pen) def FORCE 17 (Tizzano, Grealy, Stewart tries; Donaldson con)
FORCE (1-15): Fatongia Paea, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny; Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Bayley Kuenzle, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ryan Coxon, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Reed Prinsep, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Henry Robertson, Alex Harford, Kurtley Beale
WARATAHS (1-15): Angus Bell, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Fergus Lee-Warner, Miles Amatosero, Hugh Sinclair, Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (c), Tane Edmed, Triston Reilly, Joey Walton, Lalakai Foketi, Darby Lancaster, Lawson Creighton
Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert, Daniel Botha, Ben Grant, Jamie Adamson, Teddy Wilson, Jack Bowen, Henry O'Donnell
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Graham Cooper
TMO: Brett Cronan
