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‘Just so disappointed’: Heartbreaking defeats starting to ‘hurt’ Waratahs
After speaking with a few Waratahs players, Wallaroo Sera Naiqama has explained how the team’s series of heartbreaking defeats are starting to “hurt” them in Super Rugby Pacific.
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The Waratahs shocked defending champions the Crusaders 37-24 in the second round of the season in what appeared to be a statement victory for the men from New South Wales.
But another win has proved hard to come by with the Waratahs falling in quite heartbreaking circumstances in consecutive matches against the Highlanders, Blues and Fijian Drua.
They had a chance to win their last match in golden point but fly-half Tane Edmed failed to convert a drop goal opportunity. But the Drua’s Kemu Valetini wouldn’t make the same mistake.
Valetini was the hero for the Drua as they recorded their first-ever win over the Waratahs, while the New South Welshman now sit 10th on the ladder with four defeats from five starts.
“There were scenes directly right after the game when the boys looked so deflated,” Waratahs women’s lock Sera Naiqama said on Stan Sports’ Rugby Heaven.
“Having conversations with a couple of them, they were just so disappointed that they were in the fight, they were doing all the right things but there are moments in the game… that they haven’t been able to ice it.
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“Yesterday I know that the Waratahs took the men out to Maroubra Beach, a bit of a change of scenery, just to get around the boys.
“They’re a competitive side, they’re doing all the right things but these narrow losses are really starting to hurt them.”
Match Summary 
1
Penalty Goals
1
5
Tries
5
4
Conversions
4
1
Drop Goals
0
101
Carries
125
8
Line Breaks
7
14
Turnovers Lost
10
4
Turnovers Won
4
The Waratahs shot out to an early lead with hooker Mahe Vailanu scoring the opener in just the third minute and playmaker Edmed adding two shots at goal shortly after.
The first-half was literally all the Fijian Drua from there, though, as centre Iosefo Masi ran in a headline-grabbing hat-trick to help give the hosts a strong 26-10 lead at the break.
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With their backs up against the ropes, the Waratah scored four tries to the Drua’s one in the second 40 to ultimately send the match to extra time.
But this fixture will go down in history as another loss for the Tahs as pressure continues to mount on coach Darren Coleman. But Wallabies legend Tim Horan has insisted that Coleman is “too good of a coach” for Rugby Australia to lose.
“The comeback against Fiji was superb,” Horan explained.
“They’ve lost a couple of really close matches. The one against the Highlanders at home a couple of weeks back, they should’ve won that one.
“We all looked at the start of the year and we thought those first five rounds for the Waratahs were going to be really tough. A lot of people were saying they might not win a game in those first five rounds.
“Of course, they upset the Crusaders and now we look at the Crusaders and where they sit on the table, it probably wasn’t really an upset.
“I feel for the Waratahs. I think they’re a side that’s trying to build some sort of momentum in the team.
“I think it’s good if something happens to Darren Coleman that they still keep him in camp in somewhere around Australian rugby.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
31 Go to comments