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Due to an untimely bye, a lot will be said in the coming weeks about the Waratahs. We will have to wait two weeks to see whether they can reaffirm their dominance of the Australian conference, so I thought I’d get the first words in.
As many may guess I am a Waratahs fan but I count myself a true one as opposed to the ones just jumping back on the bandwagon, having exiled themselves from the ‘dark years’.
For instance I was happy with their ninth place last year because we saw an improvement in their rugby style. I’d be happy enough for them to continue in such mediocrity if indeed they were giving it their all and playing the game the way the rugby gods intended.
But this year seems different.
Unlike some journalists who apparently predicted a conference win before a ball was kicked – only to tell us all not to get too excited after their six-try demolition of the Force (Scott Allen, what were you thinking tipping the Reds?) –I stand by my prediction that they will win every local derby and the Australian conference.
Now I would like to add to that prediction and say they will make the Super Rugby final, probably against the Sharks, and I predict they will win their first Super Rugby title.
There, I said it.
All this from two games in 2014? Indeed yes because it began just over 12 months ago with the acquisition of two figures, Israel Folau and Michael Cheika.
Let’s start with their tremendous fullback. Folau was an instant sensation this time last year (okay it took him one or two games to really get going), so much so that I can’t recall a better rookie year from any Australian since Super Rugby began.
Perhaps Joe Roff in the inaugural Super Rugby season of 1996, but that was too many glasses of malt whiskey ago.
According to reports from his coaching staff, Folau is bigger, stronger and faster than this time last year. With a full Super Rugby and Test match season under his belt the sky is the limit.
It was always going to be and it is scary to think that he has scored five tries in the first two games, made 100-plus run metre gains in both matches, countless tackle busts, line breaks and line break assists, yet he’s seemingly just warming up.
It should be said that his 13 Super Rugby tries from only 16 games has him just outside the top 10 all-time try scorers for the Waratahs in Super Rugby. This just two games into his second season!
With such a great start it is conceivable to think that Folau could score 11 more tries this season and break the record of 15 tries in a Super Rugby season, set by that man Joe Roff in 1997 and later equalled by Rico Gear in 2005.
If Folau did this he would be equal alongside Matthew Burke as third on the all-time Waratahs list of Super Rugby try scorers. If that were to happen in his second season we’d have witnessed true greatness and it is not far-fetched to think it possible.
The way he is going, if he stays fit, it is also conceivable he will go to next year’s World Cup as the Waratahs’ greatestSuper Rugby try scorer after just three seasons.
He is already almost halfway to beating Tuquiri’s record of 29 tries. Let’s not even begin to contemplate what that means, because it took Lote 89 games to get there.
In terms of where Folau stands internationally, he could be just as great. Wallabies great such as John Eales, Tim Horan and Nick Farr-Jones are players that I watched fondly, but none of them had the wow factor or presence that Israel Folau has.
If he stays in the game and stays fit there is no doubt in my mind that he will at least be mentioned in the same breath as David Campese, Jonah Lomu and Brian O’Driscoll as one of the greatest outside backs of all time.
But I have a feeling he will go one better and be considered superior to all those players. I really mean that, knowing full well that it will prove a controversial comment.
After all, Campese had so many complete shockers I lost count, Lomu had issues with his lack of athleticism (it helped he played in an era where many of his opponents were really just accountants that only trained twice a week) and O’Driscoll, who is the best rugby ‘footballer’ I’ve ever seen, is and was limited by his lack of size.
Folau for mine is the complete athletic package – a blend of all three of these greats if you will.
Aany positional failures he had last year should be refined this year to the point that it will become a non-issue. You don’t become the youngest ever Kangaroo, of the mungo variety, if you are not a once in a generation athlete who can learn quickly.
For the Waratahs it is not just about having the best player in Australia.
If Folau played for the Force I doubt they would be title contenders. The development they had last year and the subtle changes in their playing roster have been led by Michael Cheika.
Anyone that reads papers knows that it took one meeting with Cheika for Israel Folau to ditch a done deal with the Parramatta Eels and follow Cheika to the game they play in heaven.
This encounter would’ve no doubt have been reminiscent to a similar occurrence some 2000 years ago when another bearded man told a tax collector to stop what he was doing and follow him around while he preached to people.
Since then Cheika has made three big signings equal to the one signing of Folau.
Nick Phipps, Kurtley Beale and Jacques Potgieter are additions that, if they play their role as we predict they should, can help turn a side from ‘capable enough to beat both Super Rugby finalists in 2013′, to ‘Super Rugby champions’.
Even the additions of Tala Grey and Jono Lance, who both probably won’t get much game time unless injury dictates, give the squad great depth.
And it will be depth that brings them their first title. The Waratahs have such a brilliant bench that they could afford several injuries and still be title contenders.
Well, maybe we couldn’t afford another injury to Wycliff Palu. When he gets injured I usually cry myself to sleep, knowing full well that the season for the Waratahs is virtually over.
Mark my words – in Cheika, the Waratahs have the best head coach in Australia.
He is the guy that brought the zing to the great Leinster club; a side that went on to win European titles by playing the same expansive running rugby we have been seeing from the Waratahs.
For those that don’t follow rugby abroad, the team that Cheika built at Leinster is heralded by many as arguably the greatest club side in their professional era. Their expansive play was beautiful to watch.
I was lucky enough to be in Europe at the time they emerged to become European club champions, and this proved to me that you can still win big tournaments by playing attractive rugby.
I will never forget the great Brian O’Driscoll flick passing and setting up great tries in one of the Heineken Cup finals that Leinster won. I’m almost certain Cheika had moved on but this time, but I know he sewed the seeds for that style of rugby to be played in the biggest game of the year.
We should forget the one black mark on Cheika’s coaching career, an ill-fated attempt to bring his hard edge to the Stade Francais club.
I say we just celebrate what he did at Leinster and trust this will happen at the Waratahs, because it started 12 months ago.
It is time to believe!
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.