Waratahs assistant coach Chris Whitaker believes their heart-breaking loss to the Brumbies will ultimately help, not hinder, their Super Rugby AU campaign.
The Waratahs looks headed for an upset victory over the competition heavyweights on Saturday night before a late converted try secured the Canberra team a 24-23 win.
Whitaker said while the general feeling was “bitter disappointment”, they could already see positives in the performance, particularly with so many youngsters in key positions.
“I thought we did enough in the game to win it,” said Whitaker, the former Wallabies halfback.
“There were periods where we played some really good football; the game plan worked really well – it’s just that ability to close those games out.
“We are learning each game and have gotten better each week and the boys have taken a fair bit of confidence out of it.”
The next conquest for the Waratahs are Melbourne, who they host at the SCG on Friday night.
Halfback Jake Gordon and centre Lalakai Foketi could make their first appearance in the domestic competition, adding some much-needed experience against the Wallaby-stacked Rebels.
The pair have been battling hamstring injuries and still need to pass fitness tests to play while prop Angus Bell, who hurt his back in the warm-up is no certainty.
The Rebels have had a loss and draw from their two outings and will be desperate for a win to keep in touch with the leaders.
“They are going to be tough opposition,” Whitaker said.
“There’s quality in the forwards, some really strong ball carriers and half a dozen Wallabies thrown in so it’s going to be a good contest for the boys.”
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I normally find the easy way is to see if he’s in front of where he started (which he was). Refs just ref this poorly.
jameswm
Roar Guru
the easy way to check it is did he swing his legs out. If he pushed straight and that resulted in a wheel, that's not a penalty.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
By "The Alphabet" I can only assumed you mean Nawaqanitawase, who didn't get on the field this game...
Phil
Guest
And looking like one,too,PaulD!
Phil
Guest
Why do people waste their time making pointless comments,McMal?Then again,why do I waste my time responding to them???
Tooly
Roar Rookie
They didn’t deserve to win but they played well. Simmons with the line outs, Hanigan ll, Hunt, Rann, Hooper , Swinton, Horton and The Alphabet all did well.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
It's the first time he's actually sounded like a Captain.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Wow they did pretty well to only lose by 18 to the Crusaders then in February, didn't they?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah but the refs have been bad on these exact calls all year.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I was more thinking moments like Maddocks knock on in goal. Not gonna criticise them at all for having a go and plays not coming off.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
It was a game with a fair few errors, but both teams went out trying to win with enterprising play, even if it didn’t always come off.
Guess
Roar Rookie
I didn't say they kicked too much. I meant to secure a win they needed to hold onto the ball more close to the end. The brumbies scored their last try after one of such kicks down the middle by the tahs
McMal
Roar Rookie
This is a tah side that would get done by 30 by any NZ mitre 10 side. The worst tah side in NSW history.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Maybe, Guess, but I see the logic in what PeterK said yesterday - it wasn't that they kicked too much, but that they kicked down the middle. Why wouldn't they kick for touch when they had been stealing so much of the Brumbies' lineout ball. Not to mention the possibility of a 22/50 or even a 50/22, particularly from Maddocks who was kicking pretty long.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Maybe James, I don’t know scrums well enough. But you shouldn’t be at least that far up in the scrum and so far up in the line out, and score 3 points after the 30th minute.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah he’s looking like our only option for 3rd pick right now. In fact his set piece skill isn’t a bad foil for how Salakai-Loto plays lock.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I’ve been impressed with Joey Walton more each week. Ditto Ramm.
jameswm
Roar Guru
That set piece “dominance” did see 3 dodgy scrum penalties given against them. One was for Dr Tom pushing crooked when he didn’t. He just pushed them back faster on his side and physics did the rest. So that is one reason why the Tahs couldn’t convert from their superior scrum.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Given their age and inexperience I’d be willing to give them a pass for 2020 - but they need to be winning some of these games in 2021.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I'm loving the improvement from the team but I much prefer what Simmons had to say. "There's a lot of pats on the back for a loss there, it annoys me a bit. Saying we're playing well, we did a lot of things right but we lost the game. We need to find a way to win that. "We just need to find a way," he said. "There has to be some resilience there to show up again next week, we've got a game next week in six days. We need to find a way. "It's not going to be easy, we showed we're a growing team, we're on that trajectory but we've got to win. "You can't just keep saying, 'Oh, that was good', we lost the game. "Do what you can to find it but we need to get a win.