Spirits still high as Waratahs get desperate with season ‘on the line’
The NSW Waratahs are clinging to positives as they chase a desperately needed clinical edge to keep their Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes flickering.
Even the Tahs concede it's strange that they're still in the hunt for a top-eight berth despite languishing at the bottom of the ladder with just three rounds remaining.
But it is what it is, they say, and spirits remain high entering a truly must-win derby against the ninth-placed Western Force in Perth on Saturday night.
"I mean, have a look at us, it wouldn't matter who we're up against. We've got to pull our fingers out and we've got to be up for it," centre Joey Walton said on Tuesday.
"Everything's been on the line for the last little bit, but it's definitely getting to the pointy end now.
"I'm excited for some good conditions, and hopefully if our minds are right we'll be humming."
Not for the first time, the Waratahs pulled the deficit back to a point in the second half against the Brumbies last Saturday, only to miss the chance of grabbing a much-needed win in the 29-21 defeat at water-logged Allianz Stadium.
Darren Coleman's side will head west knowing nothing but a more polished performance will suffice ahead of further must-win battles with Moana Pasifika and the Queensland Reds.
"We keep getting to within a point and we're just not finding the moment or something or executing just to win the game," Walton said.
"So that's been pretty frustrating for us.
"We're creating a lot of opportunities. If we can just execute a bit more, we can score those points and win."
With prop Harry Johnson-Holmes joining the Waratahs' depleted front-row stocks with a torn achilles, on-loan Argentine Enrique Pieretto will almost certainly get a start against the equally desperate Force.
"The thing for morale is we get a new guy coming every single day," Walton said.
"So, sort of meeting someone new, trying to get them across their playbook, and you don't really have any time to sort of sit there and complain about it."
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Honestly, lots. I would hate to think about many debutants they have been through over say the last dozen years. Always seems to be like rotating doors from this side of the fence.
Like I have said though, they obviously had visions for where they wanted the game to be in Australia and I do think the law helps facilitate that, and also in it's own way does also give some benefit to the Wallabies as well. I'd also imagine it is not cheap to bring large groups of players back, with having to compensate wages fully during periods of club rugby, as well as your local players still? But who knows, maybe if they have had to manage their funds differently they might have done a better job at it.
Go to commentsSo weird that NZ are going it alone in the first week as the sole attraction, and that Aus are making their season an extra week longer. Think I do recall the Scotland(?) game being outside the wonder. Wonder if they pull in a few into the main squad for the last two of their games then.
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