NSW Waratahs unveil exciting youngsters in six-try demolition of Highlanders
New Waratahs coach Rob Penney warned his new look team are a work in progress but there’s no doubting the enormous potential there after Friday night’s 40-21 romp over the Highlanders.
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Give the Waratahs’ new coach Rob Penney some credit. He’s certainly a man of his word.
He’s warned everyone not to expect too much from his new look Waratahs team because they’re still a work in progress but he sees the potential for great things and there was enough hints in Friday night’s 40-21 romp over the Highlanders to suggest he may be spot on.
A win is a win but no one in the Waratahs is getting too carried away by beating a mostly second-string Highlanders team that ran out of puff and ideas before the end of the first quarter.
The New Zealander’s first two tries were gifts from the Waratahs – the first off a blind pass from Karmichael Hunt that was intercepted and the second from an overthrown short line that led to a soft touchdown from the back of a maul.
They’re the sort of dumb mistakes that drive coaches and supporters bat crazy because teams won’t get away with that when Super Rugby starts for real in a fortnight’s time but focusing on Friday night’s mistakes would miss the bright lights that shone.
There were so many encouraging signs that the Tahs may not be the easybeats everyone expects if Penney can find a way to blend his experienced old heads with the exciting new talent he has at his disposal.
“The confidence and self belief is a wonderful attribute to have,” Penney said.
“They’ve come through some teams at age group level that have had some success so they’ve earned the right to be confident but the beautiful thing about all those guys is that there’s not an arrogant one amongst them and they’re very grounded and humble men and very open minded.”
NSW’s Wallabies will be back for next weekend’s clash with the Reds after sitting out the opening trial so that match will provide a clearer idea of what he’s really got under the bonnet.
But these youngsters – many of whom played for the Junior Wallabies – already look right at home in senior rugby, playing with a fearless expectation that nothing is beyond them.
“I’m rapt with the calibre of talent that’s there and it’s just reinforced to me how far this group could go given a bit more experience and a bit more time,” Penney said.
“‘There’s good depth across the board. There’s a couple of positions that we were concerned about and they’re certainly not alleviated but certainly there’s a little bit more relaxing around the tighthead prop area and the 10 area given the performances we saw.”
Mack Mason was solid when he started at five-eighth in the first half and his replacement Will Harrison took it up another level when he started calling the shots in the second half while 19-year-old flanker Carlo Tizzano impressed with two of NSW’s six tries.
But it was a teenager Mark Nawaqanitawase, who started in Israel Folau’s old spot at fullback, who was the standout, cool under pressure but also exhibiting a touch of flair with a couple of slight of hand flick passes.
“He’s a gem, the kid,” Penney said.
“He’s got a lot going for him and it’s going to be a real pleasure and a privilege to be part of the young man’s development over the next couple of years away because he’s got some gifts.
“As you saw tonight he’s unfazed by the step up which is a wonderful attribute to have.”