Veteran prop Sekope Kepu can’t wait to rip in for the Waratahs in Super Rugby
Sekope Kepu doesn’t subscribe to the theory the Waratahs’ forwards are too small and inexperienced, and expects them to prove their critics wrong again
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The mornings might be getting a little harder for Sekope Kepu but the nights just keep on getting better for the veteran Waratahs prop.
That’s when the old man of the forward pack goes to work and at 32, he’s as keen as ever to roll up his sleeves.
Not even the daunting prospect of a mammoth season that culminates in the World Cup can dim his enthusiasm ahead of the Waratahs’ Super Rugby season opener against the Hurricanes.
Part of it is because he’s pumped up about the Waratahs’ chances this season, confident they can improve on last year’s semi-final showing, but the other part is that he knows the agony of having the start of his season delayed.
That’s what happened last year when he was still under suspension for a dangerous hit he made during Australia’s 2017 end-of-season tour then he had to wait a little longer because he injured himself before being cleared to resume.
“Last year was a massive learning curve,” he said. “ But, touchwood, I’ve got through the preseason quite well and raring to go now so really much better than compared to last year.
“It’s a little bit harder to get the engine going in the mornings and it takes a little bit longer to get back into the intensity and find that fitness level but I’ve really enjoyed the pre-season.”
Kepu’s availability is a huge plus for the Waratahs, who are brimming with confidence and ready to “butt heads” with the Hurricanes.
Dismissed as being too small and lacking big time experience last year, they defied the critics to win the Australian Conference and Kepu believes they will be even better this time around.
“Looking back at last year, it was a young pack and not the biggest but I think there’s a lot of experience this year in terms of we’ve got a few big players coming in and we’ve got a lot of guys now like Jack Dempsey and Ned Hanigan that have got two or three years of Super Rugby under their belt so they know what’s required,” he said.
“I think we’ve got a good balance of youth and older guys so it’s going to be a hell of a year but it's going to be a whole squad mentality.
“The main focus is always going to be scrums and lineouts, for us it’s our bread and butter so we can’t miss those opportunities we've got to take them head on and back yourself.”
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Originally published as Veteran prop Sekope Kepu can’t wait to rip in for the Waratahs in Super Rugby
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