Reserve Waratahs playmaker Will Harrison delivered one of the franchise’s great Super Rugby moments on Friday evening with a clutch 40-metre penalty after full-time and a golden point drop goal to help seal a stunning 43-40 win over the Crusaders.

However, a late kicking blunder from the Crusaders shows they could have avoided the Waratahs getting the ball back for one last throw of the dice.

When Crusaders bench player Christian Lio-Willie scored a try with 90 seconds remaining, to put his side up 38-37, Rivez Reihana was given the ball for a conversion.

A shot clock of 90 seconds starts when a try is awarded.

Referee Nic Berry told Reihana the shot clock was up on the big screen before the reserve kicker sent the ball over with a handful of seconds remaining. Had Reihana taken up the full amount of time, the Waratahs wouldn’t have had a restart.

Waratahs coach Darren Coleman said there was, remarkably, one second in it.

“First I was hopeful he didn’t get it down [for the try],” Coleman said. “We could hear the refs say, ‘you’ll get the kick-off’. Then the ref changed that and said they can wind the clock down. It went from disappointment we wouldn’t get to kick-off and then the Crusaders kicked it with a second to go. Then I was back up to being hopeful. It was an emotional roller coaster.”

Instead, the Crusaders turned the ball over and gave away a penalty for a deliberate knock-on.

Harrison then slotted a marvellous kick from 40 metres out, in similar fashion to Bernard Foley a decade ago against the Crusaders in the 2014 Super Rugby final, to level scores.

In golden point, Harrison’s first drop goal attempt went over to the delight of a home crowd desperate to see the men in sky blue come up with a win after five straight losses.

NSW actually had a penalty advantage at the end if Harrison’s drop goal missed.

It didn’t, as the 24-year-old punched the air in delight and tugged at his Waratahs jersey with pride.

“It’d have to be the most pressure-relieving win … just raw emotion,” Coleman said. “I went in 51 [years old] and came out 59. It was cool watching Will’s family … there were tears.”

Is this a turning point in the Waratahs’ season?

It’s hard to recall a rugby game with 12 lead changes. The Crusaders never really got away from the Waratahs but the home side’s ability to keep punching away and stick to their structures was admirable. That’ll do wonders for their confidence and give NSW a much better bye week coming up. It has the potential to lift the group for upcoming games against the Chiefs (home) and Hurricanes (away). Will it save Coleman’s job? The victory was a subtle reminder to Rugby Australia, who are conducting a review into the Waratahs program, that there is enough hope to cling onto at Daceyville after a season of close losses and nail-biting wins.

The magic of 2014 was in the air

In the stands at Allianz Stadium on Friday night were about a dozen players from the 2014 Waratahs team that won the Super Rugby title that year. They witnessed a tremendous game of rugby for the reunion and no doubt their presence lifted the spirits of players on the field. Some inspirational words from the skipper of that team, Dave Dennis, on Thursday at the team’s captain’s run worked a treat. Cameras panned to the likes of Adam Ashley-Cooper and Michael Hooper in the stands before former prime minister John Howard was seen enjoying some Super Rugby action. It was good times all round at Allianz Stadium.

Harrison was asked to describe the Waratahs change rooms. “It’s crazy to be honest. It’s a different feeling. Being in the sheds the last few weeks has been like a funeral. To have some tunes blasting and the 2014 team in there having a few Coopers cans [of beer] and singing the team song is special. We’ve got to keep chasing that feeling.”

Harrison is the feel-good story of the Waratahs

Harrison has had a brutal run of injuries. He didn’t play a Super Rugby match for 707 days and went through an estimated 600 physio sessions in that time. For weeks, he couldn’t get out of bed or shower on his own. He is off contract at the end of the year. Stan Sport’s Michael Atkinson labelled it “poetic justice” and that is the most apt description of tonight’s result for a player who has been through more adversity than most. His comeback game a fortnight ago was not brilliant but his clutch kicking on Friday evening when it mattered showed he made of the right stuff. Foley’s 45-metre penalty kick to win the 2014 Super Rugby title for NSW sends shivers down the spines of fans and Harrison’s effort would’ve done the same, even for those supporters who’ve turned their back on the Tahs recently.

It was Crusaders coach Rob Penney, who coached the Waratahs in 2020 and 2021, who gave Harrison his start in Super Rugby four years ago. The irony was not lost on anyone as the Crusaders slumped to a sixth loss from seven games.

“He’s a great kid with a lot of talent,” Penney said. “Great to see a smile on his face. It hurts us, obviously. Not ideal. That Waratahs team is maturing nicely with a lot of those boys.”