Why the Waratahs passed up on chance to sign new Crusaders recruit and Los Pumas star Pablo Matera
The Waratahs have revealed they had the opportunity to sign world-class Argentine loose forward Pablo Matera for the 2022 Super Rugby season.
However, Waratahs chief executive Paul Doorn told the Sydney Morning Herald that the struggling franchise refrained from making a move for the former Los Pumas captain as it aims to prioritise the recruitment of players in other positions.
Two weeks ago, the Crusaders confirmed the signing of Matera for next year in what has been viewed as a significant piece of business for the Super Rugby Aotearoa champions given the quality the 27-year-old possesses.
It was Matera, after all, who was at the heart of Argentina’s famous maiden win over the All Blacks last year and was prominent in the Jaguares’ run to the 2019 Super Rugby final.
By acquiring the 69-test international, the Crusaders have bolstered their squad that is already stacked with a plethora of test-level talent, while also sparking plenty of media and public interest given the weight that Matera’s name carries.
It’s that kind of talent and star power that would have served the Waratahs well considering the current rut they find themselves in that led to the sacking of former head coach Rob Penney at the end of March.
The New South Wales side recently finished their Super Rugby AU campaign without a win and now head into the Trans-Tasman competition with the unenviable task of squaring off against all five New Zealand teams.
Equipped with only a handful of Wallabies, a large swell of inexperienced youngsters and no permanent head coach, there is little reason for celebration at Waratahs headquarters at the moment.
Capturing the signature of Maetra would have represented a beacon of hope for success heading into next year’s new-look Super Rugby competition for the Waratahs and their supporters.
It’s hardly as if Matera wasn’t interested in signing with the Waratahs, despite their current circumstances, either.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that former Waratahs boss Michael Cheika, who worked as an assistant coach for Argentina last year, notified the franchise of the possibility of signing Matera the week prior to the Crusaders’ announcement of their deal with the Stade Francais flanker.
It came after Los Pumas head coach Mario Ledesma spoke openly of how Matera enjoys Sydney and would be open to playing for the Waratahs during Argentina’s trip to Australia during the 2019 Rugby Championship.
Five titles in five seasons is unprecedented in any sport but will continuing to win at #SuperRugby level really going to enhance Razor Robertson’s credentials any further? #AllBlacks #CRUvCHI
?? Gregor Paulhttps://t.co/LIe0mcJ5vF
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) May 9, 2021
“He loves being here, he loves surfing, he would love to play over here for the Waratahs,” Ledesma told rugby.com.au two years ago.
However, Doorn told the Sydney Morning Herald that the Waratahs’ loose forward contingent is an area of strength for the side, meaning other positional groups of the New South Wales squad have instead been prioritised on the recruitment front.
“We’ve got an amazing group of people that are loose forwards, particularly with Michael Hooper coming back,” he said.
“We’ve just [decided] we need to prioritise the positions we need. As excellent as he would have been, from a leadership perspective, we have some other priorities we’ve got to get sorted before we can look at other options like that.”
Hooper, the Wallabies captain who has been on sabbatical with Toyota Verblitz in Japan this season, will return to the Waratahs next year, adding to the depth of quality they have throughout the back row.
In his place, the likes of Lachlan Swinton and Carlo Tizzano have been at the forefront of the action from the back row, and both will be joined by former Sunwolves powerhouse Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, who returns to Australia after five years in Japan.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Waratahs will instead shift their focus to signing a tighthead prop and lock in a bid to add some muscle to a tight five that has underwhelmed this season.
The Waratahs will play their first match in three weeks this Friday when they face the Hurricanes at the Sydney Cricket Ground in their opening Super Rugby Trans-Tasman match.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept 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.
35 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
35 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
35 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.
35 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
35 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.
35 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.
2 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.
35 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.
18 Go to comments