Why the Waratahs aren't as bad as their record defeat against the Hurricanes suggests
Former Blues captain James Parsons believes the Waratahs aren’t as bad as their results this season suggests, despite calls from within the New South Wales franchise for significant changes.
Waratahs interim co-coach Chris Whitaker called for a cultural overhaul in the wake of his side’s record 64-48 thumping at the hands of the Hurricanes in Sydney last Friday.
The result was the side’s ninth straight defeat as they continue to search for their first win in a disastrous 2021 campaign that saw Rob Penney axed from the head coach role in March.
Whitaker has since joined Jason Gilmore in stepping up from their assistant roles to take over as interim co-coaches, but the ex-Wallabies halfback a significant shift in mindset is required to save the fledgling club.
“There were just too many soft tries. It’s just not acceptable. There were three or four tries where individuals need to put their hand up and say that’s not good enough,” the 46-year-old said shortly after Friday’s loss.
“The sad thing is there was some good footy out there. Both sides played some good footy and unfortunately the fact that they scored 60-odd points is going to overshadow that we scored 48.”
He added that the hunger for attacking rugby within the Sydney rugby scene over the last two decades has resulted in the neglect of defensive responsibilities.
“Because we’re an attacking team, defence has been on the back burner for so long,” Whitaker said. “In the Sydney market, everyone wants to see attacking rugby but I think the mindset needs to change.
“If you look at teams around the world who win competitions, it’s on the back of their defence.”
However, speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Parsons was optimistic about the Waratahs’ chances of defensive improvement as he attributed their heavy defeat to a lack of exposure against New Zealand opposition.
Last weekend’s match was the first time the Waratahs played a Kiwi side since last March, when they suffered a hefty defeat to the Chiefs in Wollongong during the pre-COVID Super Rugby season.
Between last July and April, the Waratahs had only played Australian opposition across two seasons of Super Rugby AU before they opened their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign against the Hurricanes.
The Waratahs aren’t ruling out sending an SOS for Wallabies captain Michael Hooper as they look to resuscitate their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign. #SuperRugbyTT https://t.co/qA5WdYKZHx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 17, 2021
While Parsons conceded that the New South Welshmen can’t afford to concede as many points as they did at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the two-test All Black said they will improve as they become more accustomed to their new opponents.
“What they’re trying to do, I suppose, is send a message to the fans that they understand it’s not looking right and they’re trying to put things in place to get a change,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod of Whitaker’s comments.
“It’s not ideal to the players, but the players also understand the scoreline is not ideal as well.
“At the end of the day, we are in a results-based business, so you do have to shore up and can’t allow that many points, but I think it will tighten up.”
Parsons used an example from last Friday’s match as an example of how the Waratahs can build their defence against the New Zealand sides by pointing to Peter Umaga-Jensen’s try in the 61st minute.
The try came off a simple set move near the halfway line, where fullback Jordie Barrett sat in behind a three-man pod comprised of James Blackwell on the short side, Isaia Walker-Leawere in the middle, and Du’Plessis Kirifi on the far side.
First-five Orbyn Leger passed the ball to Walker-Leawere, labelled by Parsons as the “forward runner” of the pod, who took the ball to the line.
With Kirifi – the “tip runner”, according to Parsons – standing outside of Walker-Leawere, the Waratahs had two defenders marking both the forward runner and the tip runner as they expected either the lock or flanker to carry the ball into contact.
Week one was a 0-5 whitewash for Australian sides, but the Brumbies and Western Force look well-placed to ruffle some feathers during the remainder of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman. #SuperRugbyTT https://t.co/oMT7VaHzGd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 17, 2021
What they didn’t see coming, though, was Barrett, who had moved from directly behind the pod to run a line in between Walker-Leawere and Kirifi, acting as a short ball option.
Without having anticipated Barrett’s run, the Waratahs left a gaping hole for the All Blacks star to run through as their only two defenders in the line had already committed themselves to Walker-Leawere and Kirifi.
Walker-Leawere recognised this as he popped the short ball to Barrett, who cantered through the defensive line for a clean break before spreading the ball to the supporting Kirifi, who drew in the covering defence to set Umaga-Jensen up for an easy try.
Parsons said that after two seasons of New Zealand teams playing each other in Super Rugby Aotearoa, Kiwi sides well aware of the threat Barrett poses as a strike weapon with ball in hand.
He suggested the same can’t be said of the Waratahs, who Barrett last played against in round one of 2019 Super Rugby season.
“We’re so used to seeing that as Kiwis and we always mark Jordie to close up that space,” Parsons said.
“The Waratahs didn’t and he busts through and he links with Umaga-Jensen and Umaga-Jensen scores. They’ll get used to these nuances that the Kiwi teams try to play.”
The Waratahs continue their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season this Saturday when they face off against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments