‘The job’s not over’ — injured captain Dave Dennis sends text message to Waratahs teammates

A text message from skipper Dave Dennis to his Tahs teammates has ensured they won’t be distracted by his absence in their finals charge.

Dave Dennis is helped by medical staff after injuring himself. NSW Waratahs Vs ACT Brumbies Saturday 28th June 2014. Pic: Mitch Cameron

A SIMPLE text message from injured skipper Dave Dennis to his Waratahs teammates has ensured that they won’t be distracted by his absence in their finals charge.

“It (said) just that ‘The job’s not over and don’t worry about me, that’s footy’,” revealed utility back Jono Lance.

Dennis received the crushing news on Sunday that his season is over after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and NSW players were reeling from the bad news about their leader before his text appeared on their screens.

“It’s pretty shattering and devastating, but I suppose life goes on,” Waratahs five-eighth Bernard Foley said.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge without him, but we’re looking forward to it.”

Prop Paddy Ryan, a teammate of Dennis’ for the Waratahs, Wallabies, and club Sydney University, said the team’s dressing room was disconsolate despite hammering the Brumbies 39-8 last Saturday.

“I think (Dennis’) body language said it was probably bad news, [coach Michael Cheika] said we’d all be hopeful that it wouldn’t be as severe as we first thought, but I think with someone like that who has had two before, he probably knew,” Ryan said.

“There was a glimmer of hope in that Luke Burgess had had a similar situation against the Reds the first time they played them [this year] and he was good to play on the [next] Friday night, so it gave a few blokes a bit of hope, but I think Denno knew deep down what was going on.”

Ryan added that Dennis’ selflessness would be most difficult to replace.

“He does a lot of the things that need to be done to keep the team ticking over,” Ryan said.

“If there’s one week when we’re playing more ball carriers, he’ll do more clean-outs or more tackles. He’s a very selfless player, so he will be hard to replace.”

Supr Rugby leaders the Waratahs train under the setting sun without injured captain Dave Dennis.

But Dennis, who will undergo an operation this week to fix his knee, will return to the clubhouse as soon as he able to help prepare the team for the Super Rugby finals.

The Waratahs returned to the training field on Monday, the first session since taking over as leaders of the competition and having secured a home final.

Dennis was a notable absentee but he will help in planning for the team’s run into the finals.

“He organises our lineouts, so that will be one thing he’ll have to do with Stephen Hoiles and Mitch Chapman,” Ryan said.

“He’s obviously such a big part of our community and was before he was captain, so he’ll have a huge role to play.”

The Tahs now confront New Zealand’s high-flying Highlanders on Sunday afternoon at Allianz Stadium.

A win will guarantee NSW a week off in the opening round of the play-offs and then home semi-final at Allianz Stadium.

Dave Dennis is helped off the pitch by medical staff at Allianz Stadium after injuring a knee ligament.

While Ryan was pleased with the work of the Tahs’ forward pack against the Brumbies, he cautioned that complacency could not creep in.

“I think it was certainly the most satisfying pack performance, in my opinion, for the year,” Ryan said.

“I think the Brumbies have been the pinnacle of forward packs in Australia for the last couple of years.

“It was probably 50-50 in the scrums and we certainly got one over them in the lineouts.

Ryan said the performance was really satisfying.

“But again as soon as you start taking that kind of stuff for granted, you get done.

“We had a good performance against the Stormers earlier in the year and then went over to Perth and got dusted, so we can’t be taking anything for granted.”

Originally published as ‘The job’s not over’ — injured captain Dave Dennis sends text message to Waratahs teammates