FIJIAN-born winger Semisi Masirewa scored a stunning hat-trick as the Sunwolves ensured the NSW Waratahs' first game in Newcastle ended in disappointment, going down 31-29 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.
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It was supposed to be the night that Israel Folau set a new Super Rugby try-scoring record.
But the Wallabies superstar had few opportunities as the Waratahs fumbled and bumbled their way to a third loss for the campaign and first to the Japanese outfit, who have been axed from the competition for 2021.
It was the Sunwolves' No.11 who set the pitch alight with tries in the 30th, 50th and 55th minute.
The match was reminiscent of the Tahs' 31-30 win in Tokyo in round two, only this time there was no great escape.
The vistors led 17-15 at half-time and 31-22 after 52 minutes.
Kurtley Beale scored from a quick tap to give the Tahs a sniff in the 66th minute but the Sunwolves held strong.
It was the first time the Waratahs have taken a Super Rugby game out of Sydney and the biggest game in Newcastle since Scotland beat the Wallabies 9-6 in 2009. More than 20,000 were on hand that night, well above the 12,621 in attendance on Friday.
Newcastle loosehead Harry Johnson-Holmes scrummaged well, carted the ball up strongly and was effective in the tight before replaced after 65 minutes.
Fellow Novocastrian Andrew Tuala was on the bench but not used.
Coach Daryl Gibson was full of praise for the Tahs' "blue wall" defence in the 20-12 win over champions, the Crusaders last round, but he would have been bitterly disappointed with the lack of steel on Friday.
The Tahs missed a whopping 25 tackles, many simple one-on-ones.
"We didn't play as the same intensity and or intent that we showed last week," Gibson said. "Our skill execution was off and we made so many mistakes. We showed when we held the ball, pretty simply at times, and we scored points on the back of it. I have seen the best of this team and tonight we weren't close to that. We have to learn form it. If we can play at the same intensity we did last week, we will be a good side.
Captain Michael Hooper was most disappointed with the "passive nature" of their defence.
"We were on the back foot all the time," he said. "If you compare it to last week we stopped them on the mark. It was disappointing we weren't able to replicate the intent we has last week."
The Newcastle faithful had to wait less than two minutes for the first five-pointer.
Tahs No.8 Michael Wells claimed a long lineout and slipped the balll to Michael Hooper. The skipper burst into clear space before finding Nick Phipps in support on the inside.
Fly-half Mack Mason, who had an underwhelming game, converted for 7-0.
Conditions were perfect for running rugby and both teams looked to spread the ball to the edges early.
The Sunwolves' first points came through a penalty to fly-half Hayden Parker in the 11th minute.
The Tahs were quickly back on the front foot. After consecutive penalties, they shifted the ball to the left. Beale got his arm free and offloaded to winger Cam Clark who had too much pace for the cover.
Beale undid his good work five minutes later with an attempted shirt grab on Grant Hattingh as the Sunwolves lock charged over from 10 metres.
The points kept flowing. Sunwolves No.6 Henrdrik Tui produced an around-the-corner pass to Doug Pryor who sent Semisi Masirewa over as the visitors jumped to a 17-12 lead.
A Mason penalty cut the gap to 17-15 at the break.
The Waratahs missed 12 tackles and the Sunwolves 16 in the opening 40 minutes.
The Tahs led the linebreaks 4-2 and offloads 5-2 but both sides only strung more than seven phases together once.
Whatever Gibson said at half-time had the desired effect, at least momentarily.
Hooper reached out to score in the 44th minute from a movement which started in their own half went through more than 10 phases as the Tahs regained the lead 22-17.
But the Japanese side wouldn't go away. Masirewa brought up his double with long range-effort from well-worked lineout set play. Parker added the extras from the sideline for a 24-22 lead.
Masirewa had a hat-trick a minute later, when he swooped on a loose pass from Mason and arced 30 metres to touch down under the sticks.