How Waratahs’ last-gasp hero breathed life back into their season

Waratahs five-eighth Will Harrison is a keen member of Coogee Surf Life Saving Club, and on Friday night he might have saved NSW’s season with two crucial kicks to snap the side’s losing streak.

The NSW playmaker stepped up when the team needed him most against the Crusaders, leading them to a 43-40 victory in Sydney after five straight Super Rugby defeats.

Harrison said he took inspiration from his lengthy period on the sidelines while nursing back-to-back serious knee injuries, which kept him out of the game for two years, and credited long hours perfecting his kicking for his nerveless display.

With time running out and the Waratahs three points down, Harrison nailed a penalty from 40 metres out to level the scores. Then in golden point, he slotted his first drop-goal attempt to give NSW a crucial win.

“I’ve always prided myself on trying to be the hardest worker in the room,” Harrison said. “I love practising my craft. I’ve always loved kicking. To be honest with you, if you asked my parents, I probably skipped a bit of homework to get down to Kensington Oval pretty early as a young fella to kick until the lights went out.

“It’s just like anything, the more you practice, the better you’re going to get and the more confident you’re going to be, so to have a moment like that, I was pretty calm.

Will Harrison celebrates his match-winning kick.Credit: Getty

“I surprise myself. In the past, I feel like I’ve had those nerves creep into me, but I think a lot of it has got to do with what I’ve been through the last couple of years being in pretty tough situations, uncomfortable situations, and to get through that, I think I’m reaping the rewards of that right now.”

Harrison had made his long-awaited Super Rugby return in round six in the 27-21 loss to the Rebels, coming off the bench after two seasons out, and also made a cameo against the Brumbies in the 40-16 defeat in Canberra last weekend.

The playmaker’s impact after coming onto the field after 57 minutes against the Crusaders should breathe life into the Waratahs’ unlikely quest to reach the top eight. NSW are only one point away from a slot in the finals, just behind Moana Pasifika.

Coach Darren Coleman was a relieved figure on Friday night after watching his side lose against the Highlanders and Drua when there were perfect opportunities for a kicker to take the win at the death.

The Waratahs celebrate their 43-40 win over the Crusaders.Credit: Getty

Coleman paid tribute to Harrison, whose fairytale comeback has provided a rare positive narrative in another challenging year for the Waratahs.

“It’s cool watching his family, seeing his Dad and Mum in tears [at Allianz Stadium on Friday night],” he said. “And I remember going with him down to Coogee Beach [in 2023], when we were talking about what we do with him, around re-signing because he was off contract, [fearing] his knee wouldn’t sort of handle footy again.

“We talked it all through because I know that there’s not too many more determined than him. We talked about how that might look and, contractually, we got there and, yeah, I was just so happy for him and all he’s gone through. It’s a perfect little story.”

The timing of Harrison’s kicks came as the Waratahs celebrated their 2014 Super Rugby title win against the Crusaders. On that occasion, a nerveless kick from five-eighth Bernard Foley secured the crown in the last minute.

The atmosphere that night 10 years ago in Sydney was raucous, and Coleman took the time to savour what this victory against the Crusaders meant to the long-suffering Waratahs fans.

“I opened the windows for last few minutes to listen to the like 10, 12 or 15,000 [fans], whatever it was,” Coleman said.

“I’m really happy for them as well. I probably keep talking about us and myself selfishly, but for the fans that have been there, sat through three tough losses here, to give them that final adrenaline and rush, it’s pretty cool.

“I looked at the people in front of us and old men were hugging old men; it’s pretty cool.”

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