Speedy Pretorius keeps Tahs on their toes

NSW recruit Sarel Pretorius has wasted no time dazzling his new team-mates with his speed, with acting skipper and halves partner Berrick Barnes among those struggling to keep up.

Halfback Pretorius joined the Waratahs after a 2011 campaign in which he was named South Africa’s Super Rugby player of the year.

Perhaps befitting someone who used to play for the Cheetahs, Pretorius has shown all the pace associated with that animal in his early days with the Waratahs.

He impressed playing alongside Barnes for the first time in the big trial win over Samoa in Tamworth last week.

“The guy has got some speed, you can’t keep up with him at times,” Barnes told AAP.

“But he’s a top bloke. He’s fitted into the environment really well here at the ‘Tahs.”

Pretorius enjoyed his first run alongside Barnes.

“I think Berrick and I combined quite good,” Pretorius told AAP.

“He’s an experienced campaigner, so he knows exactly what to do when we were going backwards, so it’s nice for me just to know he can take control and vice-versa.

“Because he’s a captain he brings calmness to the team and he knows exactly what he wants in each part of the field.”

With first-choice captain Rocky Elsom sidelined for the opening weeks of the tournament, Barnes looms as the likely replacement leader after being named skipper of the Waratahs’ first-half lineups against both Samoa and Tonga.

Barnes said he wouldn’t make too many changes to the way he played if he did captain the team in the Super tournament.

“I’ll be relying on a lot of the other blokes to do a fair bit of the talking and that sort of stuff,” Barnes said.

“But Pat McCutcheon was extremely helpful last week, as well as Dean Mumm, who has done a top job in captaining the side in the past.”

Pretorius said NSW were more structured than the Cheetahs but stressed he still had the freedom to play the game as it unfolded.

“That’s why I love playing here, to know that the coaches back you with every decision and the team as well, they back you 100 per cent with each decision you make,” Pretorius said.

Barnes hinted NSW would be more constructive in their kicking game, something which new Waratahs coach Michael Foley said was a ‘blind spot’ last year.

“We want to use the ball, but in saying that we just want to kick a hell of a lot better than what we did last year and not aimlessly,” Barnes said.

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