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The Waratahs will bring a whopping nine new names to the field on Saturday night as they begin their Super Rugby season against the Stormers at Allianz Stadium.
Seven players will be pulling on the sky blue jersey for the first time, while another two will be making their Super Rugby debuts. Combined with the return of Kurtley Beale, it will be a side almost unrecognisable to the one that won just four games a season ago.
Beale will begin his third stint at the club at inside centre, with his 124 games of experience contrasting greatly with outside centre Lalakei Foketi – who is back in Super Rugby after playing two matches with Melbourne in 2014 as 19-year-old.
Wallaby Curtis Rona will make his Waratahs debut on the left wing, playing opposite Andrew Kellaway, while the more familiar faces of Israel Folau at fullback, vice-captain Bernard Foley at No. 10 and Jake Gordon – who will start at scrumhalf – rounding out the backs.
The Waratahs will debut an all-new lock combination in ex-Brumby Tom Staniforth and former Queensland Red Rob Simmons, although the rest of the forward pack consists of club veterans, including skipper Michael Hooper at openside flanker.
Ex-Force trio Shambeckler Vui, Mitchell Short and Alex Newsome will begin their Waratahs careers on the bench, while Harry Johnson-Holmes and Nick Palmer will make their Super Rugby debuts from the pine as well.
Coach Daryl Gibson said the Waratahs will need to “up the tempo” after a slow start against the Rebels last week.
“The game against the Stormers will be a physical contest and it’s a chance for our guys to show what they have, and what we have been focusing on delivering,” he said.
Date: Saturday, February 24
Kick-Off: 7:45pm (AEDT)
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Waratahs Squad: 1. Tom Robertson, 2. Damien Fitzpatrick, 3. Paddy Ryan, 4. Tom Staniforth, 5. Rob Simmons, 6. Ned Hanigan, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Michael Wells, 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Bernard Foley (vc), 11. Curtis Rona, 12. Kurtley Beale, 13. Lalakai Foketi, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 15. Israel Folau, 16. Hugh Roach, 17. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18. Shambeckler Vui, 19. Nick Palmer, 20. Jed Holloway, 21. Mitchell Short, 22. Bryce Hegarty, 23. Alex Newsome