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'Everyone's blood's boiling': Waratahs target 'revenge story' in 2022
It’s an old cliche that what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.
For the NSW Waratahs, that cliche is also reality.
After an unprecedented winless campaign last year, the Waratahs kick-off their 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season on Friday night following an unbeaten trial run.
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The mood in the camp from last year and now, after dam-busting wins over the Brumbies, Queensland Reds and combined Shute Shield opposition, is like chalk and cheese.
The Tahs have no doubt that last year’s trials and tribulations have helped them bounce back stronger.
“If you were in our change rooms after a couple of our losses last year, you’d know that it’s not a very nice place to be,” Waratahs hardman Will Harris said on Tuesday.
“And pretty much everyone in our squad was in those change rooms and knows what that felt like and is really determined not to feel like that again.
“It’s not very nice.”
As tough as last year was, Harris says the despair and humiliation of defeat after defeat after defeat – for 13 matches in total – was also character building.
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“It’s a bit of a revenge story, isn’t it? Everyone’s sort of blood’s boiling after last year,” he said.
“Although we weren’t getting the results on the field and that was tough, the group still stayed really tight, which is a credit to all the boys.
“There were no chinks in the group. We all stayed really close. There’s a lot of love and we’re all buying in for each other at the moment.
“As far as mindset changes, it’s just been nice to win a couple of games.
“Winning makes a big difference for me personally and I know the Waratahs as an organisation, everything is about winning.
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“Professional sport is all about winning and we’ve got a few wins under our belt now. They’re only trials. We know that means nothing and we’ve got no points on the board but just winning is a habit.
“Now we’ve got a few on the board, hopefully that can continue.”
Harris says facing the Fijian Drua at Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium in the competition newcomers’ eagerly awaited debut is a “privilege”.
“We didn’t win a game and were’ really excited about putting our best foot forward this weekend and trying to win our first Super Rugby game in a while,” the back-rower said.
The Drua upset the Melbourne Rebels in their one and only trial last week to provide early vindication for inclusion after serving a three-year apprenticeship in the National Rugby Championship.
Comments on RugbyPass
How on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
2 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
1 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
2 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
6 Go to commentsSpot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
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