Waratahs demolition man Taqele Naiyaravoro smashes Israel Folau’s season try-scoring record
TAQELE Naiyaravoro wanted to leave a big impression in his final year with the Waratahs and the hulking winger has certainly done that after etching his name in NSW folklore.
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WHEN you’re as big and fast as the Waratahs’ wrecking ball Taqele Naiyaravoro it’s impossible to stay in anybody’s shadow forever.
By his own admission, the 124kg winger remains in awe of his superstar teammates but after a record-breaking season, Naiyaravoro’s now the one hogging the spotlight, spearheading the Waratahs’ lethal attack as they prepare for the Super Rugby playoffs.
Skittling the Sunwolves’ defenders like tenpins, Naiyaravoro’s double at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night took his try tally for the season to 14, eclipsing the previous Waratahs’ record of 12, set by Israel Folau when NSW won the title in 2014.
Folau was among the first to congratulate Naiyaravoro when he broke his record but the hulking winger seemed almost bemused by all the attention and the fuss over him.
“I wasn’t thinking about the record, I was just more focused on finishing the tries for the boys,” he said. “I got a surprise two weeks ago when I noticed I was close to the record but to be honest I wasn’t really paying attention to it.”
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Naiyaravoro may not have been keeping count but everyone else was, soaking up the moment in the realisation that the impressive sight of him steamrollering opponents for the Waratahs will soon be a thing of the past when he moves to English club Northampton at the end of the season.
He wanted to leave a big impression in his final year with the Tahs’ so hit the treadmill in the off-season and arrived at training 12kg lighter than before, and he hasn’t looked back.
“He came into this year a with a real determined motivation to leave here with a legacy and he’s certainly doing that,” Waratahs’ coach Daryl Gibson said. “He hasn’t finished obviously, he’s got hopefully a few games to go, but at times he’s unstoppable and that’s something he’s reflected on, that he wants to become and he’s certainly living up to that.”
The shy giant has come a long way since he first joined the Waratahs in 2014, the same year they won the competition. He didn’t get to play in the final but was happy enough just to be in the same company as the likes of Folau, Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley.
“Just being next to them, seeing them play, seeing them talking to me, I was just starstruck,” he said. “And it still is for me, it’s unbelievable.”
Naiyaravoro may yet get his chance to play in a Super Rugby final with the Waratahs starting to hit their straps at the pointy end of the season, and he deserves a lot of the credit. Not only is Naiyaravoro the team’s top tryscorer, but he’s also leading most of the key attacking categories including metres gained (1,201), clean breaks (33) and defenders beaten (55).
“At this point of time, it’s just giving what I can for the Waratahs,” he said. “I know the time is shortening up as we go and so I want to do what I can at the best of my ability before I leave on a good note.”
SUPER RUGBY PLAYOFF SPOT SECURED
CRUSADERS
1st - 58pts +210PD
Blues (H)
The defending champions have already clinched the New Zealand conference and the overall top spot to be assured of home-ground throughout the playoffs and are heavy favourites to win the title.
WARATAHS
2nd - 44pts +121PD
Brumbies (H)
Wrapped up the Australian Conference to guarantee themselves a home quarter-final but can finish second overall - to stay at home for the semis if they win their first playoff - if they beat the Brumbies or the Lions lose to the Bulls.
LIONS
3rd - 41pts +58PD
Bulls (H)
Finalists in each of the past two seasons, they need to beat the Bulls to clinch the South African conference and finish either second or third. If they lose and the Jaguares win, they could drop as low as seventh.
HURRICANES
4th - 50pts +135PD
Chiefs (A)
Barring a calamity against the Chiefs, they should finish fourth to give themself a quarter-final at home, probably against the same opposition. Worst-case scenario is they trade places with the Chiefs and play them away in the quarters.
CHIEFS
5th - 45pts +91PD
Hurricanes (A)
Need to beat the Hurricanes by at least 23 points and get a bonus point to get home-field advantage for a rematch the following week. There’s a slim mathematical danger they could drop back to sixth if they get belted and the Highlanders hammer the Rebels but that’s unlikely.
HIGHLANDERS
6th - 40pts -14PD
Rebels (H)
Have been thumped in their last two games but it hasn’t really mattered. Need a massive win to finish fifth but would probably prefer to avoid the Canes and settle for sixth or at worst seventh.
JAGUARES
7th - 38pts +1PD
Sharks (A)
The Argentines have booked their berth in the postseason for the first time. If they beat the Sharks and the Lions slip against the Bulls, they’ll win the South African conference and get a home quarter-final. If not, they’ll finish between 6th and 8th.
BATTLING FOR THE LAST AVAILABLE SPOT
REBELS
8th - 35pts -15PD
Highlanders (A)
Easily the most improved team in the competition, the Rebels should have already booked their place in the quarters for the first time but now face an anxious last weekend. A victory over the Highlanders will be enough to see them through but a loss will leave them sweating on the Jaguares beating the Sharks.
SHARKS
9th - 35pts -15PD
Jaguares (H)
Blew their chance to move into the top eight when they lost to the Stormers on Saturday and now have to beat the Jaguares and hope the Rebels lose to the Highlanders.
BRUMBIES
10th - 30pts -38PD
Waratahs (A)
Need a miracle to make the playoffs. Have to beat the Tahs with a bonus point, rely on the Rebels and Sharks both losing and even then it will come down to points difference.
OUT OF CONTENTION
STORMERS
11th - 29pts -33PD
Bye
BULLS
12th - 29pts -35PD
Lions (A)
REDS
13th - 23pts -133PD
Sunwolves (H)
BLUES
14th - 22pts -94PD
Crusaders (A)
SUNWOLVES
15th - 14pts -239PD
Reds (A)
Originally published as Waratahs demolition man Taqele Naiyaravoro smashes Israel Folau’s season try-scoring record
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