Lachie Turner puckers up to lady luck to bring home a waning Waratahs.

Lachie Turner brought the Tahs home on Saturday night, with an amazing and somewhat lucky 90m intercept try. Blues half back Taniela Moa had a number of options in the dying minutes to put the game away, for what would have been a very disappointing loss for NSW after they showed their best attacking flare of the season early in the game. However when faced with the tough decision whether to run or pass, Moa chose to pass... Wrong option.

To everyone's surprise, on Saturday night, for the first 8 minutes, the Waratahs didn't kick the ball once. This resulted in 2 superb tries to take the Tahs out to a 14 point lead. The lead up to the first try, showed the competition what the Tahs are capable of, with man of the match, Daniel Halengahu, opening up the defense from fly half, followed by a flourish in the back line that resulted in a 50m gain and the site of a rampaging Benn Robinson running down the wing. Resulting in Dean Mumm crossing for the try a few phases later.

The second try, was once again thanks to the brilliance of Halengahu who showed his strength when he attacked the line and shrugged off two tackles to take the ball over under the posts. Up to this point, the Tahs held 88% possession of the ball, smothering the Blues attacking genius, and preventing any threat of a try. Though, it wasn't long before the Auckland back line was able to show it's colours, through a lineout mistake from Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau. The Blues put together a number of phases through the forwards, then spun the ball wide to Rudi Wulf who walked right over Drew Mitchel for the Blues first try.

Halengahu, again came up with the goods, to put the Tahs back out to a 12 point lead. Using a step off his right foot then shrugging off a couple of tackles, going over for his second try. In the coming minutes, the Tahs made some risky play making decisions, and took some gutsy penalty options that looked promising for a grandiose victory.

However they then let Auckland back into the game through poor defense at the ruck resulting in tries in the 33rd and 38th minute. The first try coming through Isaia Toeava after some sparkling back line play that contained 2 dubious looking passes. And the second coming to Rene Ranger, who was a dominant force for the Blues towards the end of the first half.

The second half started where it left off in the first, with Rene Ranger once again dominating play and capitalising on the poor defense and tactical kicking choices by the Tahs with a try in the 49th minute to give Auckland the lead for the first time.

Unwilling to show the guts they had in the first half, the Tahs opted to take a penalty goal to keep them within a try, but this was followed once again by some poor discipline, resulting in a penalty to the Blues. NSW now showed some innovation with a great play from an offensive lineout, with Palota-Nau running down the sideline and barging over Rudi Wulf for a try to bring the scores to level.

With captain Phil Waugh and inspirational inside centre Berrick Barnes off the field through injury, the new generation of Waratahs had to step up after going back down by 3 points after another penalty. Step up, Lachie Turner, with an intercept try, followed by another penalty to Halengahu to take the lead back out to 7 points to the Tahs and to secure the win and desperately needed bonus point.

Final score 39-32.
NSW WARATAHS 39 Tries: Daniel Halangahu 2, Dean Mumm, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Lachlan Turner
(Halangahu 4 cons 2 pens)
BLUES 32 Tries: Rene Ranger 2, Isaia Toeava, Rudi Wulf
(Stephen Brett 3 cons 2 pens)