Ned Hanigan back from injury, Swinton and Staniforth added to new look Tahs pack
With Jed Holloway suspended for three matches and Jack Dempsey and Michael Wells both injured, the Waratahs have been forced to make wholesale changes this week.
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As a country lad, big Ned Hanigan was raised to put his shoulder to the wheel whenever it was required and boy do NSW need him right now.
With Jed Holloway suspended for three matches after his brain snap against the Sharks last weekend, and Jack Dempsey and Michael Wells both injured, the Waratahs are desperately light on for experienced backrowers.
So step on up Hanigan, and pick a number.
He’s only just coming back from injury himself but he’s been handed the unenviable job of playing No. 8, even though he’s never started there at Super Rugby level.
"It is a real opportunity for him to show his versatility,” head coach Daryl Gibson said.
"All season he has been packing down at No. 8 (in training) and he has some very good skills that he learned from being on-call for the Wallabies.
"It is something they wanted him to make sure he continues to do and he has an ability to do that, so really comfortable with slotting him into that position.”
Gibson’s an optimist by nature. When others see problems, he sees solutions, so picking at Hanigan to start at the back of the scrum really wasn’t a tough call for him.
It’s also given him the chance to give two of his younger players a chance to show what they do in a revamped forward pack, so he’s given the nod to Lachie Swinton to start at blindside flanker and Tom Staniforth to pack in at second row.
"The main reason for sticking Lachie in is his physical size and what we expect from the Bulls on Saturday we see that as really important,” Gibson said.
“Will Miller is coming back onto the bench, and he will definitely get some time on Saturday.
"The Bulls forward pack are big men and we have learned a great deal from our game against the Sharks.
“We are going to have to compete there and Lachie is a physical player, we are going to need every ounce of it.”
The Wallabies’ prop Tom Robertson, cleared for lift-off after a six month spell because of a knee injury, will start on the bench while Nick Phipps returns as the starting halfback after switching places with Jake Gordon.
The season has only just passed the halfway stage but already the Waratahs are on thin ice after losing four of their last six matches.
The Highveld is the last place teams want to go to find form but although the Waratahs have a poor record playing at altitude they have been encouraged by the surprising form of the other Australian teams in South Africa.
Both the Brumbies and the Reds won in the Republic two weeks ago and it’s been such an unpredictable competition this year that Gibson reckons his inconsistent Waratahs could pull off a surprise.
"Across the competition, Things are very even,” Gibson said. “Between all the sides, on their day anyone can tip anyone up and that’s what we are aiming to do.”
Originally published as Ned Hanigan back from injury, Swinton and Staniforth added to new look Tahs pack