Another week, another clutch drop goal from the Blues broke a club record with a 20-17 win over Varatah at Lechhard Oval.
Bouden Barrett sank Brumbis in Canberra last week and this time it was Zaron Sullivan’s left boot from deep which broke the hearts of NSW fans on Saturday night.
The Blues have already topped the ladder to the quarter-finals and coach Leon MacDonald has made 14 changes to his starting lineup.
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Sullivan nail game winner for the Blues
“13 games in a row, a club record (for winning wins), and your hero there,” Shawn Maloney said to Nine and Stan Sport.
“The players had a tremendous turnover and at one point it was 14-3 (to the Waratas).”
The upset rate means sixth-ranked Waratas will have to travel to Hamilton next Saturday to play third-placed chiefs.
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Fourth-placed Brumbis will be the only Australian team to host the quarter-finals against fifth-placed Hurricanes in Canberra next Saturday.
To keep their quarter-final hopes alive, the Force will have to beat the Hurricanes in their final round-robin match.
Regardless, the Blues are clearly the losing team.
“We practice for these moments in training,” Sullivan said.
“It only comes in repetitions and moments.”
Blues captain Luke Romano – who scored a crucial late goal to set up a grandstand finish – said his young team was inspired by outward noise.
Pitts tries a pass for the Waratahs
“There was a lot of talk about bringing in the B team but we didn’t see it that way,” Romano said.
After a tough first half, the Waras roared for life in the second half, and winger Mark Nawakanitawase was forced to claim the victory after two glamorous attempts.
But the baby blues keep moving away and eventually things go their way.
“It’s a disappointing ending for us,” said Wartas captain Jake Gordon.
The Chiefs have beaten Waratah 51-27 in Hamilton in Round 10, but the NSW will be confident of winning against the Crusaders and Highlanders this season.
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