Waratahs won't blame injury crisis for 'frustrating' run
Skipper Jake Gordon is refusing to use his side’s injury crisis as any excuse as the NSW Waratahs’ top-four ambitions go on the line against unbeaten Super Rugby Pacific leaders the Chiefs.
After a depressingly winless campaign in 2021, the Waratahs under first-season coach Darren Coleman morphed into surprise quarter-finalists and title outsiders last year.
But with three defeats from four starts this campaign, Coleman and company are under pressure to live up to their own expectations.
The Waratahs host the table-topping Chiefs at Allianz Stadium on Friday night knowing victory is non-negotiable after publicly stating a top-four finish was the 2023 goal.
“Every game is important now,” Gordon said at Thursday’s captain’s run.
“Every game is always important, really, but definitely playing against a really good team tomorrow night – even last year they were the team that we really struggled with up front, containing their forward pack.
“So what’s important is that we match them physically. We need to do that, and then play some really quick footy.
“When we get quick recycled ball, we look really dangerous.”
Compounding the Waratahs’ woes is an alarming casualty ward featuring a glut of Wallabies and rising stars that has led to Coleman needing to potentially blood two more debutants off the bench in talented outside back Harry Wilson and New Zealand-born lock Zac Von Appen.
But Gordon insists injuries can’t be blamed for the Waratahs’ dicey predicament.
“It’s been frustrating but we’ve got some real quality players now,” the halfback said.
“You look at the depth of our hookers. Mahe Vailanu was awesome around the park last week. We’ve got Tolu Latu, who’s also an international.
“Joey (Walton) comes in (to the centres). He started games in 2020.
“So we’ve formed some real depth across the squad.
“It’s definitely disappointing with some of the injuries but guys are stepping in and doing a job for us.”
And a good job they will need to do against the benchmark Chiefs as the Waratahs return home to Sydney for the first time since round one.
“It’s been a tough period being away from home,” the captain said.
“”We love being home playing in front of our people. It’s very important for us at the moment. We’re still searching for a really strong performance.
“You saw glimpses of it against the Drua, where we played some decent footy. The first half against the Hurricanes last week there were bits, and the same against the Brumbies.
“We’re looking for that 80-minute result. Hopefully it clicks tomorrow night.”
NSW WARATAHS’ CASUALTY WARD (expected return date in brackets)
Angus Bell – toe (2024)
Archer Holz – ribs (round 6+)
Charlie Gamble – shoulder (round 9+)
Hugh Sinclair – shoulder (round 8+)
Lalakai Foketi – shoulder (round 8+)
Langi Gleeson – calf (round 6)
Mahe Vailanu – knee (round 6+)
Max Jorgensen – shoulder (round 6+)
Mosese Tuipulotu – knee (round 6+)
Tane Edmed – back (round 8+)
Teddy Wilson – neck (round 6)
Tiaan Tauakipulu – knee (round 8+)
Will Harrison – toe (round 6)
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 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
1 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 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.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments