The Waratahs were the only Australian team to feature in the finals last season and some new faces should make them confident of reaching the knockout stage again – but are they still top dogs in their conference?
In the eighth part of our 2019 Super Rugby preview series, it’s time to analyse the Waratahs.
Waratahs
Coach: Daryl Gibson
Captain: Michael Hooper
Major signings: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Kobelco Steelers), Karmichael Hunt (Reds)
Major departures: Taqele Naiyaravoro (Northampton Saints), Bryce Hegarty (Reds)
Squad
Michael Hooper (c), Adam Ashley-Cooper, Alex Newsome, Andrew Tuala, Angus Bell, Ben Donaldson, Bernard Foley, BJ Edwards, Cameron Clark, Chris Talakai, Cody Walker, Curtis Rona, Damien Fitzpatrick, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Hugh Sinclair, Israel Folau, Jack Dempsey, Jake Gordon, James Ramm, Jed Holloway, Jeremy Williams, John Folau, JP Sauni, Karmichael Hunt, Kurtley Beale, Lachlan Swinton, Lalakai Foketi, Le Roux Roets, Mack Mason, Michael Wells, Mitch Short, Ned Hanigan, Nick Phipps, Patrick Tafa, Rob Simmons, Rory O’Connor, Rory Suttor, Ryan McCauley, Sekope Kepu, Shambeckler Vui, Tolu Latu, Tom Robertson, Tom Staniforth, Will Harris, Will Harrison, Will Miller
Last season
Won 9, lost 6, drew 1, finished first in the Australian Conference, third overall
The Waratahs started 2018 off in blistering fashion, collecting five wins and a draw from their first seven matches. While they lost four of their next five, a lack of competitiveness from the rest of the Australian Conference meant their finals spot was never seriously under threat.
Regardless, they recovered. Four wins from their final six matches saw them qualify for the finals for the first time since 2015, and their Round 14 win over the Highlanders saw them become the first Australian side to defeat a New Zealand franchise since Round 1, 2017.
They then got past the Highlanders with a stirring second-half comeback on home soil, but were outclassed by the Lions in the semi-final.
Israel Folau celebrates a try. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Strengths
Rugby can be a simple game sometimes; score more than your opponent and you win the game. For the Waratahs, scoring – and generally being a nuisance with the ball in hand – is their speciality.
Fresh off a campaign that saw them lead the league with 767 run metres and 9.4 line busts a game, while finishing just behind the Crusaders with 34.1 points per match, the Tahs are set to threaten the try line continuously again this year.
Like the Brumbies, some low-risk acquisitions in Adam Ashley-Cooper and Karmichael Hunt could pay off massively for the club but, if they don’t, they haven’t exactly mortgaged the house on them making an impact. Even if the veteran duo don’t fire, a backline featuring Israel Folau, Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale is rarely going to struggle to score.
Jack Dempsey’s return from injury this year after missing all of 2018 is a major boost for the side, too. His presence alongside young flanker Will Miller and skipper Michael Hooper gives the Waratahs some impressive back-row depth.
Related
Weaknesses
Unlike some other sides around them, the Waratahs haven’t lost too many big names. That said, Taqele Naiyaravoro is a big loss on the scoring front. His barnstorming running was lethal close to the opposition tryline, but was also valuable down the other end of the field in helping New South Wales out of their red zone.
The high-octane game may favour the Tahs most of the time, but their defensive efforts aren’t much to write home about. Their missed tackle numbers were some of the worst in Super Rugby last season, while their run metres and points conceded numbers were right up there too.
The biggest issue this season, however, might be the fact that the Australian Conference won’t necessarily be full of easybeats this season. Seven of the Waratahs’ nine wins last season came from within the group so, if other teams – let’s call them the Rebels – have actually improved as much as people say they have, the going could be a whole lot tougher.
(Photo: Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Prediction
While the Waratahs thoroughly deserved their semi-final appearance and were definitely competitive more often than not last season, there’s no denying they benefited from playing in a weak conference.
The team certainly haven’t got weaker in the off-season but, with the heat in the Australian Conference being turned up just enough, they may struggle to repeat last year’s success in 2019.
They should still be good for a finals berth, but only just.
Prediction: Second in the Australian Conference, eighth overall
The Roar’s 2019 Super Rugby preview series
4. Highlanders
5. Chiefs
6. Rebels
7. Sharks
8. Waratahs
9. Jaguares
10. Brumbies
11. Bulls
12. Stormers
13. Blues
14. Reds
15. Sunwolves
Cynical Play
Guest
are these alt facts ? just watch him play is my point, forget the character assasinations for a change
P2R2
Roar Rookie
CP I think you need to get over yourself...facts are facts and they are undisputed....
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Fionn Not sure where Gibson's head is at....signs a drug addict and an old man...where is the future planning there....grasping at straws comes to mind to keep his job 2020...but I support your comment...doesn't bode well...
P2R2
Roar Rookie
You know where they are going when they re-sign a drug addict and an old man...go figure…!
PeterK
Roar Guru
other than HJH starting that is the team I hope gets a go. If either Dempsey or Holloway are not firing then give Wells a go over Hanigan as a starter. I doubt Gibson will play the backline that way despite it being commonsense.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Roets fills in the biggest missing piece for tahs, a power lock, adds some much needed muscle. I hope he makes the grade and pushes out one of the lightweights.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
To be honest, I know very little of the prop depth for any of the teams bar the Brumbies and Reds!
jeznez
Roar Guru
I misunderstood where you were coming from. If the Tahs had depth at TH then sure but Vui got minimal game time last season and showed in the trial that he isn't ready to start. I hope he gets plenty of minutes off the bench this season but there is no one else in the squad that can play TH to the level required, at this stage.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I don’t say he should dictate, only that I presumed Kepu would play at LHP given how well he played there.
Boomeranga
Guest
Maybe they'll go 6. Hannigan 7. Hooper 8. Dempsey
jeznez
Roar Guru
I think your point that you could just play your 8 on the side of the scrum is the key difference. The Tahs meanwhile would have to bench a genuine starter and start a development player. Ideal world players would be in the positions they are being considered for the Wallabies but would we let Cheika dictate that he wants Hodge at 10, Banks on the wing, Salakaia-Loto at 6? There are some switches that the Super team could handle with ease and others that would massively impact the teams.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Not worrying about the technicalities of the difference. Just having fun :)
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Potentially, yep.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Touché... I hope he doesn’t start there for the Wallabies. But I’d say that if he’s going to be at the back of the scrum at the Wallabies then he should potentially be practicing there year-round, even if the Brums just play their 8 on the side of the scrum. I think the differences are marginally less between 7 and 8 than between 3 and 1 though ????
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Is Pocock going to start playing No.8 for the Brumbies? ;)
jeznez
Roar Guru
He was TH for Tahs and LH for Wallabies. Ideally he’d play the same for both but Vui struggled yesterday. Definitely needs to be bench. Isn’t like Kepu took time to switch back, he handled the transition with ease. No reason to think he can’t do the same again
Humey
Guest
Hunt will be Cheikas new utility back.Hode will be discarded.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Wasn’t Kepu playing LHP for most of the end of last season? If there really is alignment between super teams and the wallabies I would presume that he would play in the same position at both super and international level.
jeznez
Roar Guru
17. O’Connor Can’t see them leaving Hanigan out based on the trial form. He was solid compared to others.
jameswm
Roar Guru
So if Roets is not up to speed yet (and Robertson out for the season), the pack looks like this: 1. HJH 2. Latu 3. Kepu 4. Simmons 5. Holloway 6. Dempsey 7. Hooper 8. Wells 16. Fitzpatrick 17. ?? 18. Vui 19. Hanigan or Staniforth/McCauley 20. Miller Got to say, super mobile starting 8. And some physicality in there too. 5 or 6 good ball runners.