Super Rugby: Waratahs made doubly aware of Savea threat

Coach Daryl Gibson has warned the NSW Waratahs of the threat of dynamic All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea.

NSW backrower Jack Dempsey carries the ball against the Sunwolves in Tokyo.

Coach Daryl Gibson has warned his NSW Waratahs about the threat of dynamic All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea in their must-win Super Rugby game against the Hurricanes in Sydney on Saturday.

The athletic Savea, the younger brother of All Black winger Julian Savea, has been compared to New Zealand backrow legend Michael Jones and looms as a major danger for the Waratahs.

“He (Savea) is a world class player,” said rookie Waratahs backrower Jack Dempsey, who opposed him at openside flanker in the Junior World Cup in 2013. “He is the same breed as (Michael) Hooper in the way he plays.

“He is going to be all over our ball. Daryl talked about that today at training. We are going to have to look out a little bit more than usual for his presence around the breakdown. We are up for it.”

Dempsey was looking forward to locking horns with Savea again, but he will have to wait until a decision is made about the fitness of veteran Waratahs No 8 Wycliff Palu, who is recovering from a shoulder injury. Palu did gym work yesterday, while Dempsey ran in the Waratahs backrow at training alongside Hooper and Dave Dennis. “He was huge for us against the Chiefs (in the last game before the June break),” Dempsey said. “The best player on the field in that game. It would be silly to go away from the way we played in that game and the guys we used.

“We’ll be happy to have Cliff back if he passes all the tests. He’ll bring that physical edge that we don’t have too much of in the backrow at the moment. If I get replaced by a Wallaby that’s no insult.”

In Palu’s absence, Dempsey produced a rousing game in the Waratahs’ 57-12 win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo last Saturday, receiving the players’ player award.

“It was a huge honour for me personally, the first time I’ve received that award,” Dempsey said. “I was just happy to get out there and get some good solid time after the four week Wallaby break.

“I played a game at my local club Gordon. Raring to go with the Sunwolves and just ripped in and had a crack.”

Dempsey acknowledged the “huge” influence Hooper was having on his game. “He doesn’t say too much but when he talks everyone listens and what he says catches your eye and gets you listening,” Dempsey said.

“There was a point in the Sunwolves game where he pulled me aside and said, ‘I need you to work a bit harder, mate’. The next play I made a game-changing play.”