Waratahs Stand Firm Against Reds to Secure Consecutive Super Rugby Women’s Championship

The Waratahs managed to stave off a late resurgence from the Queensland Reds, maintaining their unbeaten streak against Australian sides while clinching their second championship title in a row.

The Super Rugby Women’s final delivered an exhilarating contest, with the Waratahs dominating their fierce rivals to secure a 43-21 victory at North Sydney Oval.

This triumph signifies the Waratahs’ sixth championship in the league’s history.

“It feels absolutely surreal,” remarked Waratahs winger Desiree Miller in the aftermath of the match.

“This is my second grand final victory, and it feels even better than the first.”

“We concentrated on our game and played to our strengths. We anticipated a tough contest… Not everything went to plan, and we made some errors, but our resilience shone through.”

“We’ve been building throughout the season, and that was evident. I’m just so thrilled.”

The win didn’t come easily; the Waratahs faced a challenging start as their rivals asserted control over the game’s rhythm and intensity.

However, the Reds were unable to convert their efforts into points, while Waratahs fly-half Arabella McKenzie cleared the ball downfield, setting up Miller for a chase.

Despite an intense challenge from Queensland’s Charlotte Caslick, who put pressure on Miller just before the line, the Waratahs winger couldn’t quite ground the ball and knocked it on.

Fortunately for the Waratahs, this setback didn’t hinder their scoring efforts, as star midfielder Georgina Freidrichs charged over for the first try.

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Next to score was Kaitlan Leaney, and soon after, the Reds managed to make their mark with Eva Karpani crossing the line in the 28th minute.

The Waratahs maintained their composure despite a blow as their winger Maya Stewart was forced to exit the field with a suspected concussion after a heavy collision with Charlotte Caslick.

Stewart lay still on the ground as medics swiftly attended to her, before she was helped to her feet and escorted off for further evaluation.

The Reds brought the score to 19-13 as the second half commenced, with Layne Morgan sneaking through the Waratahs defence for a quick try.

“She caught the entire Waratahs defensive line off guard,” noted Alicia Lucas on Stan Sport. “I doubt even her own team realised she had the ball. She spotted a gap and seized the opportunity.”

Reds substitute Christo Taufua also crossed for a try, but the momentum quickly swung back to the league champions.

In the final moments, Miller and Emily Robinson scored back-to-back tries, followed by Friedrichs sealing the victory with a try just three minutes before the final whistle.

The Waratahs are set to return to the field next week, where they will vie for the inaugural Women’s Super Rugby Champions title against the winner of the match between Blues and Matatu.