The unease permeating around Australian rugby is hard to miss, but it seems especially potent right now if you are a Waratahs fan.
An unflattering trials campaign, the move of all operations under the roof of Rugby Australia as part of the new centralisation program, and trying to make amends after an underperforming campaign last year – it would be fair to say that Darren Coleman has one of the toughest assignments across Aussie rugby this year.
There were high hopes that Coleman, a New South Welshman through and through who has led two Shute Shield clubs to premiership success, plus excelling in the MLR in the United States, would take to the NSW coaching role like a duck to water, and his first season in charge did show exceptional promise.
However, 2023 saw Coleman exposed in multiple ways – a botched pre-season that saw the team focus on physicality over tactical decisions.
Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific ad-free, live & on demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport
Not only did it put the Tahs behind the eight-ball when they came up against sides who had studied their game plan, but such a physical approach exposed significant depth issues, as many backup players could not match the same level of physicality.
Now, as Coleman heads into his third year in charge, Tahs fans find themselves asking an incredible question: is DC, a man warmly regarded as one of the best coaching talents to come out of the Shute Shield, the right man to lead the Tahs forward?
2024 Summary
A new year comes with new chances to right the wrongs of the past, and Coleman was the first to admit he got much of the 2023 pre-season wrong. He also has a record of bouncing back from failures, such as taking learnings from losing the 2016 NRC Grand Final and applying them in 2017 to hand Warringah their first Shute Shield.
However, Super Rugby is a different beast, and although it should be noted these games were only trials, the Tahs looked notably off the pace in both of their warm-up games – losing 38-12 to the Melbourne Rebels and 32-7 to the Queensland Reds. Even their ‘A’ side struggled to put away the likes of the Rats and Marlins, winning 10-0 and drawing 7-all respectively.
The Waratahs have far from impressed in trials leading up to the 2024 season. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Bar one in-house trial against an NSW Pasifika side late last year, these matches were the first real trials for the Waratahs since bowing out of the quarter-finals in Auckland last year – all other Aussie Super Rugby teams engaged in tours and fixtures against oppositions in South Africa or Japan.
It does paint a picture at present of a team coming into the season either undercooked, underprepared or off the pace.
Of course, we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves, as trial games mean nothing once the season gets underway. Add to that, it would be naive to assume Coleman doesn’t have something up his sleeve, given he encountered such issues with preseason last year. Trials are all about combinations and trying new things.
But, it is also important to remember that Coleman does have a different squad this year – with 12 players departing the SFS after 2023 and a further six returning to the Shute Shield. Among the departures include Wallabies Tolu Latu, Kurtley Beale, Ben Donaldson, and Tetera Faulkner… oh, and did we mention Michael Hooper?
Coleman and his coaching staff have accounted for the personnel departure with several key signings, and the hope is such signings will not only fill the holes left by the departed players but also address the depth issues exposed by the game plan implemented last year.
Squad & New Inclusions
The Waratahs will welcome ten new players into their ranks this year, and notably, all players have come from other Super Rugby franchises, overseas outfits or from rugby league.
This is a smart move by Coleman and the recruiting team, for two key reasons: to build the depth up behind the starting side with players familiar with the level of intensity Super Rugby provides; and to increase competition for spots in the starting side. If a player underperforms, there’s a perfectly good backup behind them.
One of the biggest areas exposed last year was the forward pack, which makes the arrival of Tom Ross from the Brumbies and Hayden Thompson-Stringer from La Rochelle so important. Angus Bell will be almost certain to start in the front row and while he’ll also be accompanied by the 80-capped Waratah Harry Johnson-Holmes, many of the backup options in Tom Lambert and Daniel Botha struggled to adapt to Super Rugby intensity.
David Porecki will be critical for the Waratahs forward pack in 2024. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Rebels Theo Fourie will also be a welcome addition in the hooker position and will compete with Mahe Vailanu as to who will start behind Wallabies captain Dave Porecki.
The Tahs have also recruited well in the locks, with Wallabies Jed Holloway, Ned Hanigan and valuable backup Hugh Sinclair set to be joined by Miles Amatosero, one of Australia’s most exciting forward prospects, following a stint at Clermont.
Fijian international Mesu Kunavula will join return NSW prospect Fergus Lee-Warner and former Western Force loose forward Ned Slack-Smith to fill the Michael Hooper-sized gap, joining a talent group of players in Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson and Lachlan Swinton.
One of the key successes for the Waratahs last year was the surprisingly strong performance of their backline, which will be well boosted by Jack Grant supporting Jake Gordon in the halves, and league converts Vuate Karawalevu and Triston Reilly set to create plenty of competition in the back three.
The flyhalves and centres position remain unchanged, and with Tane Edmed supported by Will Harrison alongside Wallabies Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese, 2024 should allow them to continue their growth into an even stronger combination.
The backline of the Waratahs was one of the key successes of 2023. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Squad: *denotes new signing
Props: Angus Bell, Daniel Botha, Archer Holz, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Tom Lambert, Tom Ross*, Hayden Thompson-Stringer*
Hookers: Theo Fourie*, Dave Porecki, Mahe Vailanu
Locks: Miles Amatosero*, Ned Hanigan, Jed Holloway, Hugh Sinclair
Loose Forwards: Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Mesu Kunavula*, Fergus Lee-Warner*, Ned Slack-Smith*, Lachlan Swinton
Scrumhalves: Jake Gordon, Jack Grant*, Teddy Wilson
Flyhalves: Jack Bowen, Tane Edmed, Will Harrison
Centres: Lalakai Foketi, Izaia Perese, Mosese Tuipulotu, Joey Walton
Wingers & Fullbacks: Vuate Karawalevu*, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Dylan Pietsch, Triston Reilly*, Harry Wilson, Max Jorgensen
Will 2023 be the last year of Darren Coleman in charge? (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Strengths & Weaknesses
It is interesting to note at this point that, despite the trial results, Coleman has put together a pretty decent squad here. All positions have a key starting favourite with at least a few decent options.
The key weaknesses of the front row should be addressed with the inclusion of Ross and Thompson-Stringer, meaning the forward pack should be a lot more durable should the likes of Bell go down with injury.
This is similar in both the locks and loose forwards, and in the backline the likes of Mosese Tuipulotu and Joey Walton, alongside a lethal back three in Mark Nawaqanitawase, Dylan Pietsch and newcomer Max Jorgensen offer plenty of attacking punch, variety and go forward.
Yet, despite this, the issues in 2024 lie not necessarily with the squad’s depth, but the tactics and priorities they’ll choose to go with. 2023 saw a course correction mid-way through the season, and as a result, the Waratahs did not fare well in either attack or defence.
They sat second last in the whole competition in clean breaks, carries, and metres gained and sat dead last on defenders beaten, meaning teams found them incredibly easy to defend against. When you implement the same plans from 2022 and don’t adjust accordingly when an opposition has done their homework, you’re going to have a tough time winning games.
Then there is their defence, which despite finishing in sixth last year, ended with a point differential of -21. While they were competitive in most games, the Tahs were shown to be bullied on occasion, with big scores racked up against them on trips to Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington.
Coleman has to make sure his approach with this squad doesn’t repeat the tactical mistakes of last year. His recruitment looks on paper to have addressed some of the depth issues, but the team is still looking far from firing on all cylinders. It is a tenuous position, especially with plans for his contract extension apparently determined by his opening five weeks.
Fixtures
The Waratahs commence their 2023 campaign tomorrow night when they face the Reds in Brisbane, and will be hoping to turn their fortunes around quickly given the drubbing Les Kiss’ side delivered to them in trials. They then face arguably the toughest fixture in the Super Round, when they play the Crusaders in Melbourne.
Following this though, the Tahs will enjoy back-to-back clashes at home against the Highlanders and the Blues, a great opportunity to string some wins together before a trip to Fiji to face the Drua. Despite the challenge of Lautoka, the Tahs so far have a good record against the Drua and will be looking to keep that going.
The Tahs will then return home for a clash against the Rebels, before two very difficult matches back-to-back ahead of the bye: an away fixture against the Brumbies and then hosting the Crusaders a second time in Sydney.
Max Jorgensen will be eased into the season after a period spent on the sidelines. (Photo by Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The tough fixtures continue after the bye, with the Chiefs making the journey across the Tasman to Sydney, followed by a trip to Wellington and then returning home for the corresponding Brumbies clash at the SFS.
This period on either side of the bye will be a hard few weeks for the Tahs, and it won’t be helped by their run home. They’ll finish their season with a trip across the Nullabor to face the Force, followed immediately by a trip to Auckland to face Moana Pasifika, whom they lost to in 2023. For the final match of the regular season, they return home for their traditional clash with the Queensland Reds, ending the season the same way as it’ll start.
Predicted Finish: 9th
There is no sugar-coating it: the draw is one of the hardest of the Super Rugby sides this year. With tough home fixtures in back-to-back weeks on multiple occasions, it’ll be hard for the Tahs to build form and maintain momentum unless they grab wins quickly.
Granted, there is a good squad here – but in that case, the season essentially lives and dies on Coleman’s tactical decision-making and whether he can translate it to the team effectively. The results of the season will determine whether he has learnt from the lessons of 2023, and if he is the right man to lead the sky-blue state forwards.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Cheika waits in the wings!
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
And now for my Rugby Gripe. I know, I know; call it Old man shouting at the Clouds syndrome. :stoked: As a long time Tahs member (President of Them Noble Tahs aka TNT) I did my bit and bought membership and tickets for SRP2024 home matches. Bu99er me dead, Bruce! Five out of 7 matches are on a Friday night, and the remaining 2 are on a Saturday night. There is not one Sunday afternoon match. Big Q is when does dad n mum bring the kids to a rugger match? To be sure, its not freezing their butts off at SFS in the middle of a winter's evening. I hear Melbourne Rebels matches are very much the same. I know the broadcasters have the greater say in when matches are played and basically they want eyeballs on their screens at peak hours and couldn't care less how many are at the ground. This hurts the clubs, whose main income is from attendance, especially with RA cutting the TV payola by around $1.7 M bucks a year. Why so? you may ask. Friday night is directly competing against Ch9's NRL FTA broadcasts and I suspect Saturday is booked out by Ch9 as an experiment to broadcast at least one FTA women's NRL matches. I suspect live viewing numbers will tank, as will STAN's next broadcast offer. RA, if you want crowds to your games then bring back the Sat or Sunday afternoon matches. Even the NRL Raiders are going for more Sunday afternoon matches to get the larger attendances. And what are the Brumbies doing, I wonder. Tahs, if SFS is booked out by the NRL, then play at Manly or Balmain, those grounds can take your maximum of 15,000 crowds.
jeznez
Roar Guru
G'day Paul, I agree, it's not a noticeably stronger squad: Te Tera Faulkner/Nephi Leatigaga | Hayden Thomson-Stringer Tolu Latu | Theo Fourie Tiaan Tauakipulu | Tom Ross Zac Von Appen v | Sam Thomson Taleni Seu | Miles Amatosero Will Harris | Fergus Lee-Warner Michael Hooper | Ned Slack-Smith Harrison Goddard | Jack Grant Ben Donaldson | Jack Bowen Nemani Nadolo | Triston Reilly Ben Dowling | Vuate Karawalevu That trial looked absolutely diabolical and I don't get the messaging. Is ridiculous for the coaching to say last year that, they were fit in '22 but needed to get bigger, and now we are meant to swallow a line that, they were fit in '23 but needed to get bigger I hope there was some massive foxing going on in the trials (I don't understand why they'd do it) but have to hope they did. Really looking like a bad season coming up. Coleman needs to make serious change to how they play and it needs to start this weekend.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
On paper, the Tahs forwards should towel up the Reds lightweight pack. In the trial game, the Reds won the piggie battle with constant LQB to move around and disorganise the Tahs. The Tahs have countered with a pretty fast back row and likely will serve up periods of LQB themselves. the Reds have some weaknesses, mainly - (A) The Reds' THP Z.Nonggorr looked totally outclassed against A.Bell, who to be brutally honest is not the greatest LHP scrummager going around. Bell gets the accolades for his power running and game sense, often in the right place at the right time. I thought Bell's size and strength plus the weight coming through from J.Holloway and Miles Amatosero gave the Tahs that 1st half dominance. - (B) S.Uru is a pretty good player but is too lightweight to mix it with the big boys at lock. There just isn't that power from the 2nd row to hold their scrums. Reds really need C.Vest to be there. A few years ago, the Reds had tall powerful 2nd rowers falling out of the trees, then BradT cheesed most of them off. :unhappy: - (C) the Reds' centres are too small. Every top class side has a large human at inside centre and or a large fast outside centre to complement. Their size are in the wing and fb. They will miss F.Daugunu. Any idea when we might see J.Toomaga-Allen packing down for the Reds? Almost criminal, an AB front row almost. LoL I expect the Tahs to be leading at half time, thanks to a zillion and one scrum penalties. A smart Tah would even knock the ball on 10m out from the Reds line just to generate up another scrum penalty and likely yellow card :silly: The Tahs reserve forwards worry me though. Expect the last 25 minutes to belong to the Reds. :crying: On a brighter note, great news coming through that Lalakai Foketi is not seriously injured and there is confidence of a full recovery. So I can open up a beer and celebrate. :silly:
In From The Side
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure how a coach is meant to plan for a season when he’s told he’s got 4 games to get it right or he’s gone. Not the smartest move by the Tahs with by far the biggest issue being if he does get booted, who’s the replacement ready and waiting to take over. The Tahs have a relatively good XV, a useful 23 but lack depth so the odd injury may cause issues. Personally I’m not expecting much
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Even before the trials I had a feeling of trepidation. In reality I haven't felt positive preseason with the Tahs in a long, long time. With the trial losses it was the size of the losses that concerned. I worry a bit about our defence but maybe Gilmore has something he is working on. Really hope Edmed steps up, this is his opportunity. On a positive, 1 of my sons now works in Surry Hills & he suggested we head to the Highlanders game, sure it is because he can walk there after work on a Friday but will take that as a sign, positive sign for the Tahs season.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Swinton is injured. You were right
Don
Roar Rookie
I like FMR. I’d also like to see other options tried though. Personally, I’d also like to see QLD using Blythe (when back) and Smith / Daly at lock and play Uru at 6 and Wright at 7. Sometimes start FMR off the bench. I really like Gamble. He runs the ball better than FMR and has a pass and offload. I reckon they are on par for workrate. Neither link particularly well with the backs. I guess we will see on Saturday…
Don
Roar Rookie
I hope you are right. :happy:
Fin
Roar Rookie
Tahs are certainly strong enough on paper but I have this horrible feeling that the two players that will stand out from last years squad are over in Perth. If Bell and Jorgo stay fit and Lee-Warner can have an impact like I hope we might make it one week into finals, can't see it getting better than that unfortunately.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Thanks Nick. I had major concerns with how Coleman had the team playing, especially his inability to change the way they played when things clearly were not working. Biggest worry is we saw issues from last year repeated in the trial and he is back on record wanting to bulk up again (seems to have forgotten the flaws identified last year).
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
Agree Bobby, without Bell they struggle at scrum and getting over the gain line. Theres already a smell of dead man walking (DC) which is frustrating. RU as they showed with the Rebels like to leak early DC has the first 4 weeks to prove why he should be the coach next year. For DC & Tahs sake they need to fiz not fizzle.
Blinky Bill
Roar Rookie
Sheesh….I hope you’re right Don. I need something to help me and others in the house feel good about Rugby, following that Eddie moment that still has me asking ‘did anyone get the rego plates of that car that hit me’? I’d be happy with the Tahs putting-in Effort with some Smarts, even if we do go down to the Reds at SunCorp. On Coaching – I’ve got all my fingers & toes crossed hoping that Coleman can show us all that he can coach, motivate and learn from his mistakes. As someone that believes in stability over changing coaches, when the results aren’t always what you want, I want Darren Coleman to prove the doubters wrong. And that includes my good Missus.
savant
Roar Rookie
Can’t agree on Gamble over FMR. Gamble is strong over the ball but isn’t in FMRs class as an attacking player. FMRs ruck work rate is also the best in Australia. The crucial periods we lost against Fiji and Wales in thd RWC were when he was off the field. People go on about his lack of physicality but that’s not the job of an open side. It’s the hard unglamorous team work that really counts - securing offensive rucks, high tackle count, slowing defensive rucks - all of which he is very good at. His support play and creativity in attack is better than any other open side in Australia as well. This whole physicality thing is bs. Sam Canes physicality lost the All Blacks the World Cup. Open sides are about work rate. Sure PSTD is physical but his work rate is more important.
savant
Roar Rookie
I agree the loose trio of the reds was a big factor in the trial dominance. They hit a huge number of rucks and secured fairly quick ball. Importantly their work rate allowed the reds to hold possession for long periods. The Tahs will be a totally different proposition with an equal share of ball. Their scrum will be a weapon against the lightweight Reds second row and I expect they will get penalties and great field possession out of it. I think this will be a close game.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Bell had Zane beat, but once Hodgman came on things evened up and then was in the reds favour by the time the benches were on. Hodgman is starting this week so I expect our one advantage from the trials will be blunted.
Mungo69
Roar Rookie
Is it really "Centralization" if only one team is under trust umbrella?
Don
Roar Rookie
The Tahs towelled up the Reds at scrum time in Roma and I reckon Zane is still a seriously flawed scrummager. I rate Gamble highly. I'm a Reds fan but think Gamble is a better all 'round 7 than FMR. Gleeson at his best is destructive but very inconsistent. I had Swinton starting at 6 so made a mistake there. Vunivalu, Grealy and Petaia is a back 3 with plenty of errors in them. There'll be some attacking highlights for sure, but there's a real issue with how many points they can let in. Vunivalu and Petaia are poor positionally. I would have had Campbell at 15 and Petaia on a wing.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
“Line up man for man against the reds “on paper” “ I don’t know about that! Front row you have an All Black and two current Wallabies vs 1 current Wallaby. It’s been nearly a decade since HJH got his one cap due to a long list of injured players. Back 3 you have two current and a past wallaby against one. There are not many who would rate the Tah back 3 anywhere near Wright Mecreight and Wilson. Backs might be somewhat similar (before Lala went down). But the pack is a big advantage to the Reds.
Don
Roar Rookie
They dominated the Reds scrum in the Roma trial but the Reds were able to exert some pressure back on at the lineout. If the Reds scrum like they did in Roma we should see yellow cards. We got away with murder that night.