Israel Folau’s Waratahs return could help snap Kiwi hoodoo

ISRAEL Folau’s keenly watched return to action this week may well coincide with the end of Australia’s embarrassing Super Rugby drought against New Zealand teams.

Israel Folau of the Waratahs looks on during the match against the Lions in Sydney.

ISRAEL Folau’s keenly watched return to action this week may well coincide with the end of Australia’s embarrassing Super Rugby drought against New Zealand teams.

Wallabies ace Folau is expected to play for the first time since airing his controversial religious beliefs about homosexuality on social media when the Waratahs face the Blues on Saturday.

The Brumbies’ 21-8 home loss to the Crusaders on Saturday made it 36 straight wins for Kiwi teams against Australian sides.

If that streak is to be broken this season it’s most likely to be when the Tahs host the hapless and injury ravaged Blues at suburban Brookvale Oval.

The Rebels get next crack when they host the Crusaders on Friday but, given the big form gap between the slumping Rebels and the competition leading, defending champions it’s hard to see an upset win there.

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The Blues’ record against their four New Zealand conference rivals is so bad that the joke goes they should be relegated to the Australian conference.

Coach Tama Umaga’s team have gone two seasons — 15 derby games in all — without defeating a Kiwi rival and had injured superstar Sonny Bill Williams (wrist) among 17 players unavailable through injury last week.

They have a 2-7 record this season, having become the first NZ team to suffer a home loss to the Jaguares, while the Waratahs have been the pick of the Australian teams.

NSW, who will be rested after a bye, were the last team to defeat a trans-Tasman rival, in May 2016, when they smashed the Chiefs.

While the Kiwi hoodoo remains, the Reds pulled off an almighty upset by beating the Lions to keep their season alive.

Queensland led 24-0 at halftime against last year’s finalists and received a standing ovation from the Suncorp Stadium crowd.

The South African conference leaders bounced back to give Reds a fright before the hosts hung on to claim a 27-22 victory.

“We’re not an 80-minute team yet,” Reds coach Brad Thorn said.

“It was just good seeing them turn up and play.”

The fourth win of their campaign lifted the Reds to 17 points and above the Brumbies on the Australian conference table — with both sides having a bye next week.

The Brumbies had their chances at home but failed to take advantage of the Crusaders being two men down for eight minutesin a 21-8 loss.

The competition leading Crusaders scored all their points in a 15 minute period midway through the first half, after Henry Speight opened the scoring for the Brumbies.

“The learning for us is the effort, intensity and attitude isn’t always going to win you games,” Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said.

Disciplinary issues cost the Rebels in their 34-18 defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town as they slumped to a fourth straight loss.

“It’s been a perpetual problem right through the whole season,” frustrated Rebels coach Dave Wessels said.

“And it’s not skill errors... it’s just lazy stuff like not getting back onside.”

Their discipline will be tested again when they host the Crusaders at AAMI Park on Friday, although they will be boosted by the availability of star halfback Will Genia.

The Rebels are three points adrift of Australian conference leaders NSW, who have a game in hand.

Originally published as Israel Folau’s Waratahs return could help snap Kiwi hoodoo