NSW Waratahs resemble Robbie Deans’ title-winning Canterbury Crusaders team, says Daryl Gibson

THE Waratahs have adopted some of the traits that made Robbie Deans’ Crusaders the dominant Super Rugby franchise, says someone who would know.

Jono Lance of the Waratahs celebrates scoring a try during the Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and the New South Wales Waratahs. Pic Darren England.

THE Waratahs have adopted some of the traits that made Robbie Deans’ Crusaders the dominant Super Rugby franchise, according to a title-winning Cantabrian now with NSW.

Waratahs backs coach Daryl Gibson, who won five Super Rugby crowns as a Crusaders player and coach, said a key to NSW’s turnaround this season had been a familiar mix of consistency on the field and personal improvement off it.

The NSW squad have worked hard on developing a playing “identity” over the past two years but, at Michael Cheika’s insistence, have also poured hours into forging belief, using visualisation techniques and setting of lofty goals. Cultural standards have also been a focus.

Asked about the similarities between the Waratahs and successful Crusaders sides, Gibson said: “With any successful team there are key consistencies about their environments.”

“While it is never the same, everyone is a little bit different, we have tried to create an environment where the guys can be the best they can be,” Gibson continued.

Kurtley Beale, who has been of the Waratahs’ best players recently, makes a break against the Reds.

“The amount of stuff we’ve done off the field in terms of their own development, about being good people and all the mental stuff to go with that, we have put an incredible amount of time into that.

“We believe, allied with what we do on the park, that’s really helped us and helped our team become the best they can be.”

Deans was a big believer in the theory that producing good men was imperative to producing good players, cultures and teams, and Gibson said Cheika’s philosophy was similar.

“It’s a flow on, but Cheik is a different person to Robbie. He has his own style. He’s done the same thing, but just in a different way,” Gibson said.

The Waratahs and the Crusaders have the first week of finals off after finishing first and second on the ladder, and many are already forecasting a showdown between the two sides in the final. They didn’t meet in the regular season.

Gibson joked it might be “fate” the Waratahs would meet the side who firmly qualify as a nemesis.

“Obviously we have to get through the game next week, but certainly, we were the top two teams after the round robin. If you look at the finals in the last few years, the top teams that have made the finals haven’t necessarily met each other. It could be fate,” Gibson grinned.

After a timely few days to rest bumps and bruises, the Waratahs are back in full training and priority No.1 is fixing up a wobbly set-piece that’s been picked apart by the Brumbies and Reds in successive weeks.

Despite a scratchy performance in Brisbane, the Tahs posted a record win over a Queensland side who could have potentially rumbled the minor premiers were they not so poor.

It served the Waratahs well, in any case, with No.8 Wycliff Palu saying the game ensured they wouldn’t float on clouds of delusion into their semi-final next week.

“From that game, obviously, our set-piece wasn’t up to scratch. Come semi-final football, some teams just build pressure through their set-piece,” Palu said.

“It was good that we had a game like that. It keeps everyone on edge, I guess, and keeps everyone working hard.”

Winger Matt Carraro, who is returning from a shoulder injury in time for the finals, said the team were well aware of the pitfalls of overconfidence.

“We are confident we have our style of play, but we are definitely not arrogant in that matter. We have been convincingly beaten a couple of times this season,” Carrraro said.

“We have our identity we are trying to build here, and create for the future of the Waratahs. Those games we have been beaten in, we definitely haven’t stuck to that, or what worked hard enough and didn’t back ourselves in our style of play.”

Originally published as NSW Waratahs resemble Robbie Deans’ title-winning Canterbury Crusaders team, says Daryl Gibson