‘Full of fight’: Waratahs reveal key focus areas in bid to go from wooden spoon to Super Rugby finals
Legacy and fight will be the tenets upon which the NSW Waratahs attempt to mount one of the great turnarounds in Super Rugby history. JAMIE PANDARAM reports on all the ins and outs of every Australian Super Rugby team.
Legacy and fight will be the tenets upon which the NSW Waratahs attempt to mount one of the great turnarounds in Super Rugby history.
Rarely has a football team coming off a wooden spoon had such high expectation coming into a new season, but the Tahs have absorbed a stack of displaced Melbourne Rebels stars, welcomed NRL gun Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, and have an all-new coaching team led by Dan McKellar that has fans hopeful of a long-awaited finals appearance.
A roster that now includes Taniela Tupou, Andrew Kellaway, Rob Leota and Darby Lancaster suddenly looks as strong as that of the 2014 premiership-winning Tahs – the last Australian team to hold aloft the trophy in joint competition.
“We want to be a team that’s full of fight,” McKellar told this masthead.
“And effort areas are something that I really drive within any group. It’s the things that people really don’t see that we want to celebrate hard, your off-the-ball efforts. And if we’re a team that prides ourselves on our effort and our fight, then we’ll give ourselves a chance to win more games.
“We’ll be in games to win them, at the back end of a game.
“There’s obviously a lot of talent within this group. And we’ll play a style that suits that talent or suits the qualities of the squad.”
Having won just two games in 2024, and collected their second wooden spoon in four years, the Tahs sunk so low their operations had to be taken over by Rugby Australia.
The battle will be to regain the faith of Sydney’s rugby faithful, and while many of their new recruits may not have grown up in the city, they are aware of their responsibility.
“They understand that there’s 151 years of history here,” McKellar said.
“And we’re now responsible for that. And we’ve got an opportunity to turn things around and leave our own legacy.
“We want to make sure that when your Richard Harrys, your Matt Burkes, your Bernard Foleys, and these guys from more recent times, that they’re really proud of what we put out as a team, and that they understand that we play with that pride and that passion for the jersey.”
McKellar has assembled a coaching team that includes England’s World Cup-winning Mike Catt as attack coach, Lachlan McAffrey in defence, Dan Palmer for set piece and Tom Carter as head of athletic performance.
With the season kicking off in less than a month on February 14, and winnable games against the Highlanders, Fijian Drua and Western Force in their opening three fixtures, the Tahs have an opportunity to quickly erase the ugly memories of last year.
With RA cutting the Rebels, the new 11-team Super Rugby competition will run over 14 games per team, with the top six qualifying for the finals.
The Tahs aren’t the only team to be boosted by Rebels players, and McKellar expects a fast and entertaining season.
“We’ll see some change within the Australian teams, I think any good competition is competitive from one week to the next, and you don’t know who can win any game,” McKellar said.
“Moana Pasifika have got Ardie Savea there now as well as Julian. So they’re going to be a difficult side to play against and beat.
“Fiji have now got a facility over there where they can train at a professional and world-class level, and they’ve got better and better. So I think there’s exciting times ahead for Super Rugby.
“We need to make sure that we promote the game and play that exciting style of rugby that was known for in the first 20-odd years, and get people excited, not just in Australia, but all around the world to want to put their television on and watch the Waratahs, the Reds, whoever it might be.”
NSW WARATAHS
Ins: Jamie Adamson (Easts RC), Siosifa Amone (Force), Lawson Creighton (Reds), Ethan Dobbins (Rebels), Ben Grant (Hurricanes), Felix Kalapu (Force), Isaac Kailea (Rebels), Andrew Kellaway (Rebels), Rob Leota (Rebels), Darby Lancaster (Rebels), Henry O’Donnell (Force), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Roosters NRL), Leafi Talataina (Rebels), Taniela Tupou (Rebels).
Outs: Ned Hanigan, Will Harrison, Jed Holloway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Vuate Kawawalevu, Izaia Perese, Dylan Pietsch, Lachlan Swinton, Harry Wilson, Mosese Tuipuloto.
Potential starting XV: 15. Max Jorgensen 14. Andrew Kellaway 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 12. Lalakai Foketi 11. Darby Lancaster 10. Tane Edmed 9. Jake Gordon 8. Langi Gleeson 7. Charlie Gamble 6. Rob Leota 5. Miles Amatosero 4. Hugh Sinclair 3. Taniela Tupou 2. David Porecki 1. Angus Bell.
BRUMBIES
Australia’s best-performing team over the past decade, the Brums made last year’s semi-finals and retain a Wallabies-laden side.
Coach Stephen Larkham will rely on the strength of his forward pack to lay the platform for another run at the finals, while David Feliuai – who was named in Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad last year before suffering injury – will add spark to their backline.
Ins: Feao Fotuaika (Lyon), Tuaina Taii-Tualima (Melbourne Rebels), David Feliuai (Melbourne Rebels), Lachlan Hooper, Kadin Pritchard, Tevita Alatini and Shane Wilcox (all from Elite Development Squad).
Outs: Darcy Swain (Western Force), Jahrome Brown (Waikato Chiefs), Tamati Tua (Exeter Chiefs), Sefo Kautai (Highlanders).
Potential starting XV: 15. Tom Wright 14. Andy Muirhead 13. Len Ikitau 12. David Feliuai 11. Corey Toole 10. Noah Lolesio 9. Ryan Lonergan 8. Rob Valetini 7. Luke Reimer 6. Charlie Cale 5. Tom Hooper 4. Nick Frost 3. Allan Alaalatoa 2. Lachlan Lonergan 1. James Slipper.
QUEENSLAND REDS
Liam Wright and Tate McDermott will continue their co-captaincy roles for the Reds, it was announced this week, and coach Les Kiss has high expectations in his second year in charge.
Queensland possess one of the best backrows in the entire combination, and have added starch to their tight five with the additions of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Josh Canham, while Filipo Daugunu returns to the Reds backline.
Ins: Lachie Anderson (Rebels), Jude Gibbs (North Suburbs, Sydney), Matt Gibbon (Rebels), Trevor King (Reds Academy), Will McCulloch (Reds Academy), Josh Canham (Rebels), Filipo Daugunu (Rebels), Mason Gordon (Rebels), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Rebels), Heremaia Murray (Crusaders/Northland), Dre Pakeho (Reds Academy).
Outs: Peni Ravai (Fijian Drua), Cormac Daly (Japan), Taine Roiri, Connor Anderson (Japan), Lawson Creighton (NSW Waratahs), Taj Annan (Newcastle Knights, NRL), James O’Connor (Crusaders), Floyd Aubrey (Souths Logan RL), Mac Grealy (Western Force), Jordan Petaia (NFL International Player Pathway Program), Suliasi Vunivalu (La Rochelle, France).
Potential starting XV: 15. Jock Campbell 14. Tim Ryan 13. Josh Flook 12. Hunter Paisami 11. Filipo Daugunu 10. Tom Lynagh 9. Tate McDermott 8. Harry Wilson 7. Fraser McReight 6. Liam Wright 5. Josh Canham 4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 3. Zane Nonggorr 2. Matt Faessler 1. Alex Hodgman.
WESTERN FORCE
The Force were just one win away from the finals last year and will continue to improve under coach Simon Cron.
The Perth side has added a host of Wallabies to their roster including Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Darcy Swain and Dylan Pietsch, while prop Tom Robertson returns from his study sabbatical in England. Former All Black centre Matt Proctor has also joined the Force to give them backline depth.
Ins: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Darcy Swain, Divad Palu, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Josh Thompson, Mac Grealy, Matt Proctor, Nic Dolly, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Sio Tomkinson, Vaiolini Ekuasi. Elevated from Academy: Doug Philipson, Mitch Watts, Ronan Leahy. Returning: Tom Robertson, Kane Koteka.
Outs: Siosifa Amone, Tim Anstee, Ollie Callan, Tom Franklin, Ben Funnell, Charlie Hancock, Feleti Kaitu’u, Santiago Medrano, Henry O’Donnell, Ian Prior, Izack Rodda, Sam Spink, Chase Tiatia, Angus Wagner, Michael Wells.
Potential starting XV: 15. Max Burey 14. Harry Potter 13. Bayley Kuenzle 12. Hamish Stewart 11. Dylan Pietsch 10. Ben Donaldson 9. Nic White 8. Reed Prinsep 7. Carlo Tizzano 6. Will Harris 5. Jeremy Williams 4. Darcy Swain 3. Harry Johnson-Holmes 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa 1. Tom Robertson.
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