NSW Waratahs unveil 25-man squad for clash with Japan’s Kubota Spears

New Zealand-born backrower Charlie Gamble and second-rower Hugh Sinclair will co-captain the New South Wales Waratahs against the Kubota Spears in Tokyo, Japan. The Tahs have unveiled a 25-man squad for the clash at Edogawa Stadium on Friday afternoon.

With the Waratahs’ last-placed finish in this year’s Super Rugby Pacific season now behind them, the playing group are intent on making amends in 2025. The Tahs have a solid block of training under their belts as they continue to prepare for the club’s new era.

With new head coach Dan McKellar at the helm, the Waratahs have battled hot conditions in Sydney during a gruelling pre-season to date. Gamble and Sinclair were both seen training at the club’s headquarters in Daceyville, Sydney, last week on what was a fairly humid morning.

McKellar has picked a group for the Japan match that boasts a mix of experience, new recruits with a point to prove, and two Academy prospects who will be eager to make their mark. This is McKellar’s first opportunity to see the players compete in real match conditions.

“It’s about the transfer of areas of our game we’ve worked on in training into a match while also understanding that we haven’t worked on everything yet,” coach Dan McKellar said in a statement.

“We’ve only been going for five weeks but this is a great opportunity to gauge where we are at this point of our pre-season preparation.”

Gamble and Sinclair join the likes of former Western Force enforcer Fergus Lee-Warner, hooker Julian Heaven and Academy prospect Eamon Doyle in the forwards. The backs also boast some flair, including former Australia U20 captain and Australia Sevens halfback Teddy Wilson.

The players selected will fly out for Tokyo on Wednesday morning before returning home to Sydney on Sunday morning. Players will have a two-day break once they’re back in Sydney before returning to pre-season training on Tuesday.

From the list of players included the selection of Academy players Doyle and flyhalf Joey Fowler is intriguing. Coach McKellar has explained the decision to select those two younger players, as well as the reasoning behind Gamble and Sinclair’s co-captaincy call.

“They’ve obviously come through the Academy and have performed well for New South Wales Under 19s this year and in pre-season training with us,” McKellar explained.

“While this isn’t a capped game, it is a great chance for them to experience wearing the New South Wales jersey… and in an international environment.

“They’re two of our senior players,” he added about the co-captain decision. “Also, I am always observing players closely, assessing who our leaders are. They will have that responsibility for this week.

“They have trained well. The expectation is that they will lead through their actions.”

This match against Kubota will kick off at 2 pm (4 pm AEST) on Friday afternoon. It’s a chance for the playing group to break up their pre-season training block with a high-quality hit-out against a force from Japan Rugby League One.

The Waratahs’ Super Rugby Pacific season doesn’t start for a while yet. That campaign will get underway on Friday, February 14, with a round one clash against the Highlanders from Dunedin at Allianz Stadium.

NSW Waratahs team list

Forwards

Jamie Adamson, Brad Amituanai, Sifa Amone, Adrian Brown, Ethan Dobbins, Eamon Doyle, Charlie Gamble (c), Clem Halaholo, Julian Heaven, Mesu Kunavalu, Tom Lambert, Fergus Lee-Warner, Hugh Sinclair (c), Leafi Talataina.

Backs

Jack Bowen, Nick Chan, Joey Fowler, Jack Grant, James Hendren, Triston Reilly, Lukas Ripley, Jackson Ropata, Archie Saunders, Joe Walton, Teddy Wilson.