Waratahs’ injury crisis deepens in wet and wild Super Rugby loss to Brumbies

The Waratahs must win their final three regular-season games with a further-decimated forward pack, and then have other results fall their way, to have a hope of making the Super Rugby finals. A spirited but ultimately unsuccessful second-half resurgence against the dominant Brumbies on a semi-flooded Allianz Stadium has left their fate out of their own hands.

They sit second-last on the ladder and five points outside the top eight ahead of Western Force, Moana Pasifika and the Queensland Reds, while the Brumbies have climbed to third.

“Ridiculously, we’re still in the hunt for the playoffs,” Waratahs coach Darren Coleman said. “We’ll do what we’ve done most of this season: we’ll hurt tonight, we’ll review, and we’ll go over to the Force and have good energy and intent, and do our jersey proud, and try and finish on a positive with a few wins to get us home.

“I think if we summarise it, they [the Brumbies] just seemed to score their points easier than we did. We had long periods in their 22 and line breaks, but we just don’t seem to have the accuracy to finish off the energy and intent we’re showing.”

The wet-and-wild derby has also left Coleman without yet another prop, after Harry Johnson-Holmes sustained a suspected Achilles injury during the first half of the 29-21 loss. For Johnson-Holmes, the setback comes a couple of years after the long-term Achilles injury he suffered in 2022.

For his team, it deepens the front-row injury crisis that has engulfed the Waratahs’ season. The 27-year-old is the sixth contracted prop relegated to the sidelines, alongside Tom Ross (knee), Angus Bell (foot), Tom Lambert (knee) Dan Botha (Achilles) and Archer Holz (shoulder). On top of that, the Tahs are missing four hookers in David Porecki (Achilles), Mahe Vailanu (knee), Theo Fourie (foot) and Julian Heaven (shoulder). The only contracted prop still fit is Hayden Thompson-Stringer.

Coleman, who had his head in his hands as Johnson-Holmes left the field, deployed on-loan debutant Pone Fa’amausili in his place. However, even Fa’amausili may have to head back to Melbourne this week to plug a gap at his parent club the Rebels after Taniela Tupou became concussed during Friday night’s 26-22 loss to the Reds.

For the home run, Coleman still has at his disposal Enrique Pieretto, the Argentine prop also secured on a week-to-week loan from the Glasgow Warriors. But the team head into the final fixtures with even fewer charges than at the beginning of Saturday night’s match.

The Waratahs cut the deficit to one point with five minutes remaining thanks to converted tries from Joey Walton and Tane Edmed, only for Sefo Kautai to hit back in the 78th minute and deny the hosts a bonus point which could have helped their predicament.

That’s all she wrote on this torrential night.

Hooper is out on the field conducting interviews into a TV camera that appears to be covered with a plastic bag for protection. He has Holloway, who played his 100th game for the Waratahs. He says it was a “tight contest” and “frustrating”.

“We showed real patches there of quality rugby and it’s disappointing not to get the result,” he tells Stan Sport. “It’s something I’ve always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to achieve at this club … it’s an emotional night and been an emotional week. The boys have really got around me this week.

“We’ve got to stay at it, mate. The comp’s so tight. Ideally we’ve got to win our next three on the trot, which is doable. It’s been a disappointing year, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. But we’re still in the hunt.”

Kautai scoops up the ball from the bottom of the ruck a few metres out and zips off and away and his is in. Debreczeni converts. I don’t want to speak too soon but, with two minutes to play, that may have killed off the game.

Waratahs 21-29 Brumbies after 78 minutes

“All games should be played in a torrential downpour,” remarks an unnamed editor. “This is the best Super Rugby I’ve ever seen.”

Well, sir, you have just seen the Waratahs score another try. It’s Edmed, this time, running (swimming) through a tiny wee gap in the Brumbies’ defensive line and sliding over to score and bring this game very, very close.

In the preceding minutes, the Tahs had been given a no try after scoring before the ref ruled the ball had been held up. The take a long lineout throw but it doesn’t find any friendly hands. The Brumbies’ hands are no good either, because they knock on and the Tahs will set up from a scrum.

Waratahs 21-22 with five minutes to go!

They move through several phases and finish just shy of the line on penalty advantage after an offside call against the Brumbies. An absolutely tremendous piece of aerial work from Nawaqanitawase ensues. He leaps up and forward, collecting the ball in the air and skilfully passing to Jake Gordon, who almost slides the whole way over. It isn’t to be, but that was a great piece of play. These conditions might just playing into the home side’s hands as they fight to the death in the final 10 minutes.

Play has stopped and players are down with what looks like cramp. Every single person not undercover has just been for a swim.

Waratahs 14-22 Brumbies after 67 minutes

It’s Walton. He has possession and is off and away before being stopped quick smart by Valetini. But then he is quickest to a quick, toe pokes it in the general direction of the try line and then dives onto it once it’s over. Harrison converts and there now only eight points in this. We have a game on our hands.

The entire sideline is under water. The pitch is a glistening sea of puddles. Never seen anything like this at Allianz.

Waratahs 14-22 Brumbies after 60 minutes

Everyone is fighting for the ball. Bodies are flying and falling down, and Nawaqanitawase beats the rest to the ball and grounds it right in the corner! Until, of course, a TMO review ensues under suspicion there’s been a knock-on in the build-up. And watching those replies, I’m afraid to say it does very much appear as if Pietsch knocked the ball forward in the lead up. Turns out he did, and the try will not stand.

Waratahs 7-22 Brumbies after 57 minutes

Stephen Larkham’s men have started the second half in much the same manner as they started the first: hard and fast. Some neat passing works the ball forward and then Debreczeni is all clever hands as he passes to Ikitau, who was keeping apace to his right. Ikitau is off and away towards the corner. He has company but uses the slick surface to slide over the chalk and extend his side’s lead. Lonergan skews his conversion attempt wide this time, but the deficit still leaves the Tahs with a heap to do.

Waratahs 7-22 Brumbies after 49 minutes