Jorgensen returns for Waratahs on Fiji trip that could resurrect season

The Waratahs have been boosted by the return of fullback Max Jorgensen from a hip injury ahead of their trip to Fiji to take on the Drua.

After Saturday’s 12-10 loss to the Blues, which came after a 23-21 defeat to the Highlanders the week before, the Waratahs will arrive in Fiji on Thursday with one win from four outings this season.

Jorgensen returns to the No.15 jersey after Mark Nawaqanitawase deputised in that position against the Blues.

Nawaqanitawase will mark his 50th Super Rugby appearance back on his favoured right wing at Churchill Park in Lautoka. Triston Reilly drops to the bench.

The Waratahs have won all four of their previous encounters with the Drua, but will arrive in Nadi ready to deal with more of the torrential rain that has already caused flooding in Fiji. The weather will add another challenge to an already daunting fixture.

“It’s going to be a hostile crowd, [and there’s] the heat, but both teams are going to feel the heat,” Waratahs captain Jake Gordon said.

Waratahs fullback Max Jorgensen returns from injury to start in FijiCredit: Getty

“We’ve done a really good job against Fiji every time we played them; nullified their threats.

“The risk over there is when the ball gets a little bit wetter, [that] we don’t get looser with it, too.

“We go back to playing an aerial game, go to set-piece. Trying not to play like the Drua in Fiji is really important for us next week.”

After expressing his surprise at being benched last week, loose-head prop Angus Bell returns to the starting line-up along with Mahe Vailanu, who returns from injury to start at hooker.

Julian Heaven is named on the bench after completing a 73-minute stint in his first Super Rugby start last Saturday, leaving no place for debut try-scorer Jay Fonokalafi, who was called off a building site into the Waratahs squad last week.

There is also no room for Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi, who continues to make strong progress from a neck injury and is expected back for selection for the following week against the Rebels in Sydney.

The Drua’s Australian coach, Mick Byrne, believes that the Waratahs will not be daunted by the prospect of travelling to Fiji and remain a good side despite their recent narrow losses.

“Except for a missed penalty goal and a couple other things, they could have had two good wins, so they’re going be really disappointed. They’re going to say, this is an opportunity. We’re behind them on the ladder, so human nature says they’re probably going to look at us and go this is a game we should win, and we know that,” Byrne said.

The former Wallabies and All Blacks skills coach wouldn’t be drawn into talk about the future of Waratahs’ coach Darren Coleman when asked about the pressure that his fellow coach is facing.

“I’m not a big reader of press and stuff like that, but I think you’d have to live in a cave to not have picked up the thoughts that Darren Coleman was under pressure, from the media anyway. I don’t know if it’s internal, but that’s all I know, it’s not an arrogance,” Byrne said.

“It’s just busy, busy here. You’re busy with your own program, I’ll catch up with him on the weekend.”

Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.