Dave Dennis injury will hurt Waratahs but tight-knit squad can cover loss of skipper

IT is a sure sign the stars are aligning for the Waratahs that in their darkest moment this season - an injury to Dave Dennis - the sun kept shining.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Dave Dennis of the Waratahs is taken from the field with an injury during the round 17 Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium on June 28, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

It is a sure sign of the stars aligning for the Waratahs that even in the darkest moment of their season, the sun kept shining.

Dave Dennis’ injury on Saturday night was a classic case of the footy gods having their cruel way. The long-serving NSW skipper, who’d battled back from a shoulder and two knee reconstructions in 2007-08, lay on the ground as play moved on, clutching a knee in that tell-tale sign a season is over.

Defiant to the last, Dennis tried to walk off ANZ Stadium and fronted the press conference later in the faint hope his knee wasn’t blown.

There was “no RIP sign” but the gut-wrenching reality was there in the captain’s eyes. He wouldn’t be playing as the Tahs pursue their maiden title with one of the strongest teams ever fielded.

But Dennis wasn’t the only hollow one.

The loss of a standard-driving skipper, a lineout leader, a form player and above it all, a good bloke, kicked the Tahs camp square in the guts, and took all the fizz out of a win that secured them the Australian conference with two rounds left.

For another team, such a blow might have even spelt the end of serious title hopes.

But on the field, with due respect to Dennis, the Waratahs barely blinked.

Need a new captain? Will the Wallabies skipper do?

Few teams can replace their captain with the incumbent Test skipper, but that’s the way 2014 is unfolding for NSW.

Not only could Michael Hooper step up to fill Dennis’ shoes as leader, but his back row replacement was no greenhorn either.

Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles took the field in his 115th Super Rugby game, and kept the NSW line out humming smoothly. Other players lifted their work rate to compensate for Dennis’ absent punch, none moreso than Wycliff Palu.

Michael Cheika will likely stick with Hoiles - a Test player - due to the line out calling element, but he could equally turn to Jacques Potgieter to play six - also a Test player - and insert Will Skelton - yep, Test player - into his second row.

Dave Dennis looks to have suffered a serious knee injury.

It’s a fair old plan B, and brings us back to those increasingly orderly stars.

Ewen McKenzie always said to win a Super Rugby title you need Wallabies on your bench, to not only ensure quality across the 80 minutes, but quality across the six month campaign as well.

The Waratahs now have that depth, but with a finals berth now guaranteed, they’ll be praying they don’t need to call on it again outside of each 80 minutes.

There is no sugar coating the departure of Dennis. It would be folly to suggest the Wallaby flanker is no loss to NSW’s title hopes. He is not only an important player but his absence calls on the Waratahs’ depth, and by calling on it, you weaken it.

But history is littered with examples of sporting Gods throwing in late spanners to a title run, and rubbing out those who deserve reward the most. Victory laps always contain one bloke on crutches.

It comes down to who has the game, and the depth, to extract the offending Sidchrome and still get the job done. The Tahs will soon know if it’s them.

Originally published as Dave Dennis injury will hurt Waratahs but tight-knit squad can cover loss of skipper