Super Rugby 2015 preview: Champion Waratahs remain the team to beat in Australian conference
THE Waratahs face a huge challenge to defend their Super Rugby title — but they have the game and squad to do it. Check out our Australian conference preview.
Rugby
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Waratahs face a huge challenge to defend their Super Rugby title — but the 2014 champions have the game and squad to do it.
That’s the opinion of a host of Fox Sports Rugby experts, who believe Michael Cheika’s men pose an excellent chance of adding to their maiden championship.
“You have a look at the landscape and they’ve got the team, they’ve got the combination and they’ve got the confidence to work their way out of any tight positions,” former Wallaby Greg Martin said.
Michael Cheika’s side should face a tough challenge for the Australian conference title from fierce rivals the Brumbies, who look primed for a big 2015 after being knocked out of the finals by NSW last year.
Elsewhere the Force will be out to build on their best season to date, while a big off-season recruitment drive has the Reds poised to bounce back up the table.
The Melbourne Rebels are also looking to climb up the ladder, but Tony McGahan’s side could face another tough season.
INS AND OUTS
BRUMBIES: Rory Arnold is the biggest off-season signing in Canberra — literally. The 208cm lock is the tallest player in Super Rugby and one of just a handful of Brumbies signings that also includes centre Nigel Ah Wong and winger James Dargaville. While Stephen Larkham can be generally pleased with his club’s depth, the Brumbies have lost a wealth of experience with captain and lineout general Ben Mowen leaving for France and backs Pat McCabe and Clyde Rathbone both retiring.
FORCE: Former Waratah Steve Mafi returns Down Under after a successful stint with Leicester Tigers in England. The lock/back-rower’s experience will be vital for a Force pack that has been rocked by an eight-week injury to inspirational skipper Matt Hodgson and saw flanker Hugh McMeniman and prop Kieran Longbottom depart. The “Honey Badger”, Nick Cummins, has been loaned back from his Japanese club and will be joined in the backline mix by Perth Spirit young gun Ross Haylett-Petty and ex-Blue Albert Nikoro.
REBELS: Rebels coach Tony McGahan has overhauled his squad for 2015, adding an exciting mix of youth and experienced to his roster. Former Reds and Wallabies utility Mike Harris has impressed during the pre-season and adds an experienced goal-kicking option to cover the loss of Jason Woodward to the Hurricanes. Wallabies cult hero Radike Samo has signed on, while former Waratah Cam Crawford and Red Dom Shipperley add depth to the backline.
REDS: The big movers and shakers in the Super Rugby off-season, the Reds recruitment drive has been one of the big talking points in the lead-in to the 2015 campaign. Wayward Wallaby James O’Connor is back home to kickstart his World Cup bid, code-hopper Karmichael Hunt returns to the game he played as a schoolboy and former All Blacks back-rower Adam Thomson reignites his Super Rugby career after a stint in Japan.
WARATAHS: Michael Cheika has added just a few new faces to his championship squad, with winger Andrew Kellaway and rugby league convert Sam Lousi, who will play at lock, viewed as exciting prospects for the future. Japanese centre Kotaro Matsushima also joins, but will struggle to break into the Tahs’ dynamic backline. The loss of Kane Douglas will hurt Cheika’s men, with more responsibility now heaped onto the shoulders of players such as Will Skelton in the pack.
THE SCHEDULES
BRUMBIES: Two matches against the Reds in the first five rounds could have big say on the Australian conference, while a tough trip to Chiefs awaits in round two. A round 13-14 South African schedule against the Stormers and then Lions looks promising for Stephen Larkham’s outfit.
FORCE: Three blocks of brutal back-to-back clashes on the road will be tough to overcome. Michael Foley’s men open away to the Waratahs and then the Reds, travel to South Africa to tackle the Bulls (round six) and Sharks (round seven) and then across the ditch against the Chiefs (round 11) and Blues (round 12). A run of four-straight home games from rounds 13-17 against the Waratahs, Highlanders, Reds and Brumbies could have them charging home towards season’s end.
REDS: Three home games against local rivals the Force (round two), Waratahs (round four) and Brumbies (round five) give the Queenslanders a good opportunity of pressing their claims in the Australian conference. A trip to Loftus Versfeld to face the Bulls in round nine is intimidating — 92-3, anyone? — and is followed by a clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
REBELS: The Rebels kick-off with an intimidating encounter against the Crusaders in Christchurch, and then face top Australian sides the Waratahs and Brumbies at home. Their trip to South Africa does not arrive until round 15, but difficult fixtures await them there against the Stormers and Sharks.
WARATAHS: The defending champions face just one overseas fixture in their first nine matches — against the Highlanders in round five. They don’t venture to South Africa until late May, with winnable fixtures against the Lions (round 16) and Cheetahs (round 17) their only overseas matches from round 11 onwards. With a target on their backs in 2015, expect the Waratahs’ to be made to work hard for points against their four Australian rivals who they face within the first six rounds.
QUESTION MARKS
BRUMBIES: David Pocock’s return surely stamps the two-time champions as serious contenders for a third crown — provided he can stay fit. The former Wallaby captain has played just five of 35 Super Rugby matches in the past two seasons and it remains to be seen if the brilliant openside flanker can stay on the paddock and return to the peak of his powers.
FORCE: Matt Hodgson’s 2014 form was so irresistible it earned him a Wallaby recall after three years in the Test wilderness. So how will the Force cope without their inspirational skipper? Hodgson’s presence at the breakdown and tireless tackling will be missing for the opening eight rounds of the season thanks to a serious hamstring injury.
REBELS: Super Rugby’s youngest side have failed to stamp any authority on the competition in their four-year history, slumping to last place last year after recording their highest finish of 12th in 2013. After a confidence-boosting pre-season and some solid signings, can the Rebels finally fulfil their potential and challenge for a finals position?
REDS: Who can be the perfect 10 in the absence of Quade Cooper? Code-hopper Karmichael Hunt gets first crack at playmaking duties while former Wallaby flyhalf James O’Connor and ex-Broncos young gun Duncan Paia’aua are the back-up options.
WARATAHS: The Waratahs were brilliant across the park in 2014, but enter this season in unchartered territory as the team to gun down. Without powerhouse forward Kane Douglas, can the Waratahs step up to the plate and create a winning dynasty with back-to-back titles?
THE X-FACTORS
BRUMBIES: Tevita Kuridrani. The big outside centre stamped himself as one of world rugby’s most fearsome ball-runners last year with a string of standout performances for the Wallabies. Working off talented playmakers Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano, Kuridrani’s wrecking-ball style can cause havoc for opposition defences.
FORCE: Luke Morahan. Big things were expected of the former Reds flyer when he headed west last season, only for injury to hamper his campaign. The 24-year-old has pace to burn and an eye for the tryline and can add a classy edge to the Force attack.
REBELS: Sean McMahon. One of the most exciting prospects in Australia, rugby, McMahon made his Wallabies debut on the spring tour after a breakout season in 2014. McMahon’s workrate and physicality has impressed coaches at all levels and after committing to a new long-term deal with the Rebels, will assume a senior role in their pack this year.
REDS: Adam Thomson. While all eyes will no doubt be on Wallaby hopefuls Karmichael Hunt and James O’Connor, a former All Black looms as Queensland’s wildcard. The big bustling back-rower can provide the Reds pack with the punch it was missing in 2014.
WARATAHS: Taqele Naiyaravoro. We could have gone with Israel Folau, but that would have been the soft option. Big Taqele’s 195cm, 120kg frame powered through two Shute Shield sides like a battering ram in a recent trial and he’ll be looking to do the same on the wing for the Waratahs.
THE EXPERTS SELECT THEIR AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE WINNERS
ROD KAFER: “It will be hard to go past the Waratahs again. I think their squad’s really solid and continuing on the momentum that they built last year. They should be the frontrunners.”
TIM HORAN: “For the Waratahs to go back to back this year is going to be really difficult. They certainly can do it — they have the talent and the coaching structure to be able to go back to back but it’s certainly a big challenge for them.”
PHIL KEARNS: “Kane Douglas is a big loss for the Waratahs — he was a powerhouse for the side last year. With all of their players fit they will be the team to beat. Maybe the Reds with Hunt and O’Connor will be contenders, they just need to get their forward pack right. The Brumbies are always dangerous.”
GREG MARTIN: “I’ve got to figure the Waratahs because of how good they are in the forwards, how good they are in the backs and the fact that their combination has been virtually unchanged since last year. You have a look at the landscape and they’ve got the team, they’ve got the combination and they’ve got the confidence to work their way out of any tight positions.”
JOHN EALES: “The Waratahs were the most compelling of all the teams last year. They really understood the style of game they wanted to play, they’d had a couple of years developing that style of game and they’ve really focused on it. As long as they can keep believing in themselves they’ll be very hard to beat. They have lost a couple of players here and there, it’s a new year and everyone knows they’re the champions, everyone wants to beat the championships — they won’t be without their challenges. But I think as a whole they’ll be very difficult to beat.”
THE EXPERTS RATE THEIR AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE CONTENDERS
ROD KAFER: “I think it will be the Brumbies, built on the way they will play the game this year. I think they’ll be a lot more attacking in their style of rugby and I think that will suit them.”
TIM HORAN: “I think the Brumbies are a really good chance this year, they were probably disappointed in their last couple of matches last year. I really like their backline, subject to injury. You’ve got White, Leali’ifano, Toomua, Speight, Mogg — a really good backline. Their forwards were starting to play some really good rugby last year.”
PHIL KEARNS: “Maybe the Reds with Hunt and O’Connor will be contenders, they just need to get their forward pack right. The Brumbies are always dangerous.”
GREG MARTIN: “I thought it was going to be the Reds until they lost Quade Cooper. The Force without Hodgson — that’s also left a huge hole — so therefore it’s the Brumbies. The Rebels probably aren’t complex enough yet. I love the fact that Pocock’s back. If he stays fit — no one’s been able to turn over enough ball, he’ll again change the game. No one’s been coming up with any more than one or two turnovers per game since Pocock’s been out. He could be the difference and the fact Stephen Moore is back and fresh — they’re looking good. Plus Speight and Kuridrani — I don’t think the Brumbies will be too far behind the Tahs.”
JOHN EALES: “No one would have predicted — except themselves — the Western Force doing as well as they did last year. I think we can expect them to have another good year. They’re a very tough team, they do the basics right. The Brumbies had a bit of a transition year last year. They went from being a very good team at certain aspects of the game, but not being a complete team. If they can take that next step they’ll be an exceptionally hard team to beat.”
Originally published as Super Rugby 2015 preview: Champion Waratahs remain the team to beat in Australian conference
Rugby, family, and the moment that changed Suaalii’s life forever
Rugby’s $5 million man, cross-code superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been big news since he was 14-years old, now Jamie Pandaram reveals the complex character behind the headlines.
Reds primed for Super season
The Reds don’t want to waste their good work on a successful pre-season tour of the United Kingdom when they kick-off their Super Rugby Pacific season later this month.