Third-string hooker John Ulugia has emerged an unlikely hero for the Waratahs in their crucial 20-15 defeat of the Western Force at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
The Force made no secret of Ulugia's perceived set-piece frailties in the lead-up to this game and while the former Brumbies player didn't set the world alight in that department, he was on hand to provide the blow that would send the Force to back-to-back defeats and push his side into the all-important top six.
With star centre James O'Connor's right boot on target for five penalty goals from six attempts, the Force held a slender 15-13 lead well into the second half.
But the Waratahs started to find some semblance of shape in attack when it counted and it was during this period when Ulugia struck, sneaking over from close-range in the 70th minute to hand his side the match-winner and a fighting chance of usurping the Reds at the top of the Australian conference with six rounds to play.
It was a courageous win by the Waratahs who were missing five key players to injury and were without fly-half Berrick Barnes for the vital final minutes after he limped from the field in obvious discomfort.
The Force were dealt an injury blow of their own just before the hour with courageous hooker Nathan Charles taken from the field in a neck-brace after copping a sickening knock to the head while attempting to make a tackle on Waratahs centre Tom Carter.
It was Force by name and Force by nature early on in the game, with some thumping defence, highlighted by full-back Patrick Dellit's crunching hit on Barnes which jolted the ball free, putting the Tahs' in a precarious position near their own try-line.
NSW full-back Kurtley Beale pushed a fifth-minute penalty goal attempt to the right of the posts, but O'Connor, had no problems with his first attempt four minutes later to give the visitors a 3-0 advantage.
Beale leveled the scores with a simple penalty goal in the 18th minute before the Tahs were pinged for not releasing at the breakdown, allowing O'Connor to restore the Force's three-point advantage with an impressive wide-range goal.
Referee Stu Dickinson rightly penalised Waratahs centre Ryan Cross for obstructing Force No.8 Richard Brown during a kick which handed O'Connor the chance to stretch his team's lead out to six points after 26 minutes.
A Pek Cowan infringement at the breakdown on the half hour presented the Waratahs with a handy three points courtesy of Beale's right boot, but the home side headed into the sheds 9-6 down – just their second half-time deficit at home in two seasons.
The Waratahs needed a positive start to the second half and they received it in the most fortunate of circumstances, with a wide-range Beale penalty goal attempt bouncing off the posts and into the arms of a charging Cross who stole a much-needed five-pointer against his former side.
Beale's conversion pushed NSW out to a 13-9 lead after 45 minutes.
O'Connor added two more penalty goals to put his side in front 15-13.
But the desperate Waratahs began pressuring the Force's line and it paid dividends in the 70th minute when a strong Luke Burgess charge from a scrum in good field position paved the way for Ulugia to burrow his way over a couple of phases later.
Beale converted from in front to give the Waratahs their important five-point victory.
Both sides have a bye next week.
Waratahs: 20
Tries: Cross, Ulugia
Pens: Beale 2/4
Conv: Beale 2/2
Force: 15
Pens: O'Connor 5/6
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