The Waratahs have booked their place in their fifth successive Super W Grand Final after defeating the Reds 36-0 at Eric Tweedale Stadium.
Despite being on the wrong side of a 46-0 drubbing just five days earlier it was the Reds that started the game brightly, dominating possession in the opening stages of the game and throwing wave after wave of runners at the Waratahs’ defence.
The Waratahs weathered the storm and finally started to get some meaningful possession in the match, making inroads through some strong carries by Grace Hamilton and Georgina Freidrichs.
Grace Hamilton took the game by the scruff of the neck and scored the opening try of the match in the 29th minute with a barnstorming run off the back of an attacking scrum, dragging three Red’s defenders along on her way to the try line.
Minutes later Mahalia Murphy scored her tenth try of the season, finishing off a nice break from Tatum Bird and brilliant support running from Emily Chancellor.
Murphy then turned provider putting Tatum Bird into space with a nice long pass. Bird showed plenty of pace and power brushing off her Reds opposite with a nice inside step on her way to score and give the Waratahs a 17-0 lead at the break.
The reigning champions struck early in the second half, taking just two minutes for Natalie Delamere to convert a rolling maul from deep inside the Reds half.
Ecstasy soon turned to heartbreak for the Waratahs, losing two key players. Arabella McKenzie (neck) and Penelope Leiataua (fibula) were both stretchered off the field with serious injuries midway through the second half.
Margot Vella put the game to bed for the Waratahs in the 67th minute finishing off a sweeping backline move off an attacking five metre scrum while Kaitlan Leaney grabbed her first try of the season pick and driving after the full-time siren.
Waratahs Captain Grace Hamilton was thrilled to book a place in the Final.
“I think for us that was a tough grind, they’re a hearty team and we knew that we were going to have to grind that out and I’m really glad we got that win today,” Hamilton said.
The Waratahs now turn their attention to the Fijiana Drua who they will face in the Buildcorp Super W Final on Saturday 23 April in their quest to win their fifth straight title.
