Super Rugby: Highlanders stunned by Waratahs after the second half of the collapse

A second half ended the Highlanders' season in a horrible manner.

Up to 23-6 on the Waratahs with only 27 minutes to play, the Highlanders seemed assured of a spot in the semi-finals of the Super Rugby, but a yellow card at Waisake Naholo kicked off a wave of Waratahs that swept the hopes of the Highlanders.

There is just something about Waratah that causes brain explosions for Highlanders wingers. After Tevita Nabura's red card during their meeting earlier this season, Naholo's misstep has relegated them to a defeat that will leave an incredibly bitter taste as the Southerners return home.

the face, but Naholo's mistake was just as useless, while he carelessly took the Sekope Kepu pillar with a high plating. On the way to Sinbin, eight minutes later, the Waratahs were somehow ahead.

In their last three games, the Highlanders had 127 points and were in the playoffs with the worst defensive record on all sides. For the first 50 minutes, you could not tell, but when Naholo was away, the previously healthy defensive structure was completely collapsed.

Profiting was the dangerous pair of Bernard Foley and Israel Folau. Foley struck first to put the Waratahs at bay, and two minutes later, Kurtley Beale made his way through Folau, which fed Folau that remained intact

Suddenly, the Highlanders who were taking possession of their lands were rushed to shreds . They could not organize their defensive line, and when Folau found himself face to face with Liam Squire, he took the opportunity to accelerate the second try and the third strike of the Waratah. Naholo put away

It was a hard blow after the Highlanders played an almost perfect first half, which denied their previous record from outside

The Highlanders' race record was rather dismal in the regular season. wins from eight games, and all against teams that missed the playoffs. Against the playoff opposition, the Sharks beat them 26, the Crusaders 23, the Hurricanes 17, the Chiefs five, and especially the Waratahs beat them, 41-12.

Naholo and Rob Thompson completed maneuvers in a straight line to get ahead, while the disconcerting precision of the Lima Sopoaga pass gave visitors a 23-6 advantage at half-time

. The Waratahs continued their race 24 to 0 to take the lead of the pack.

They kept the buffer zone uneventfully until seven minutes before the end, and a yellow card for Paddy Ryan, the Waratah striker, gave the Highlanders the opportunity to right their wrongs and shoot a late salvo to save their season.

It was too late though, while the Waratahs held 14 men – a missing skill that the Highlanders will lose all season.

Waratahs 30 (B. Foley 2, I.Folau tri es, Foley 3 against, 3 pens
Highlanders 23 (W. Naholo, R. Thompson tries, L. Sopoaga 2 against, 3 pens
HT: 6-23