Wycliff Palu says the Waratahs are ignoring hype that now has them as Super Rugby title favourites

WYCLIFF Palu has rejected the hype around the Waratahs after they were installed as favourites to win the title for the first time in history.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — MARCH 15: Wycliff Palu of the Waratahs is tackled during the round

WYCLIFF Palu has rejected the hype around the Waratahs after they were installed as betting favourites to win the Super Rugby title for the first time in history.

The TAB now has the fourth-placed Tahs at $4 to take out the premiership, something they’ve never managed in the 19-year history of the competition.

It is the first time NSW has held betting favouritism for the title, but Palu has seen enough failed campaigns to not get carried away.

“I’ve realised since I started not to worry about those things, because it doesn’t help you,” Palu said.

“We haven’t done anything yet, we have nothing to show for it, we haven’t won the title.

“Everyone else has been saying things but we’ve talked about ignoring what is said from the outside.

“The Brumbies was a good game for us, we lost but we learned more from that than the wins we’ve had.

“Anyone could say you’re favourites, I wouldn’t be reading too much into it.”

In the betting market for premiership favouritism posted on Thursday afternoon, NSW sits ahead of defending premiers the Chiefs ($4.25) and ladder leaders the Sharks ($4.50), who they face this weekend in Durban.

Palu, playing in his 100th provincial match for NSW, would dearly love to celebrate with victory over Jake White’s team.

“It would mean a lot, and team-wise it would mean a lot,” Palu said.

“It will just give us that belief that we can win on the road.

“The last time I was here [in Durban, in 2009] we won, I saw the joy it brought to the team and hopefully we can replicate that.”

It didn’t always look as though Palu would reach the milestone, with his three previous seasons hampered by injury and the lure of the Japanese Yen also calling out before he re-signed with NSW and Australian rugby last year until the end of 2015.

“It has been a roller-coaster ride for me in these last couple of years, I’ve probably missed more games through injury than I’ve been available to play in,” he said.

“That has been pretty disappointing.

“I’ve got to forget all of that stuff.

“It comes down to having the support of my family, they’ve been there for me the whole way through.”

The Tahs face a huge task this weekend but their chances have been bolstered by the season-ending injury to star Sharks playmaker Patrick Lambie (torn bicep).

Rookie 21-year-old Fred Zeilinga steps in for Lambie.

Coach White said: “The Waratahs are a good team, they have a lot of Wallabies in their squad and they have been on a good roll so far in the competition.

“They’re a strong, well-balanced side and that means it’s going to be a tough game for us.

“The nice thing is that we’re still in control of what happens to us; the one thing you want to do in this competition is to be able to control your own destiny.”

TAB SUPER RUGBY TITLE ODDS

WARATAHS $4

CHIEFS $4.25

SHARKS $4.50

CRUSADERS $6.50

BRUMBIES $7.50

BULLS $17

BLUES $21

REDS $23

STORMERS $41

HIGHLANDERS $67

HURRICANES $81

FORCE $126

LIONS $151

REBELS $501

CHEETAHS $751