Waratahs plotting unprecedented 29-season Super Rugby first in 2025

Buoyed by a new coach, the prized signing of Joseph-Aukoso Suaalii and five more Wallabies, the NSW Waratahs are plotting an unprecedented last-to-first charge to Super Rugby Pacific title glory.

No team in the tournament’s 29-season history has risen from the basement to the penthouse and claimed the premiership.

But the Waratahs earnestly believe they can morph from 2024 wooden spooners to 2025 champions.

“There’s always talk of wanting to win the comp. I don’t think anyone would be here if they didn’t want to win the comp,” Waratahs and Wallabies flyer Max Jorgensen told AAP ahead of the side’s February 14 season opener against the Highlanders in Sydney.

Suaalii’s arrival from the NRL, where he starred in the Sydney Roosters’ run to last year’s preliminary final after making his State of Origin debut for NSW, was initially viewed as a like-for-like replacement for Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who defected to the Bondi Junction glamour club.

But the 21-year-old is already proving much more, with two-time world player of the year Beauden Barrett hailing Suaalii for how he’d “changed the game” since switching codes.

“Obviously he’s an amazing athlete,” Jorgensen said.

“He’s tall, fast, yeah, he’s very athletic. You’ve seen that with him playing league.

“I think everyone knows it, so I think you need me to harp on about that.”

Fellow prodigy Jorgensen and Suaalii enjoyed a pre-season together at the Roosters two years ago, but Jorgensen said being teammates on last year’s spring tour had built up a priceless bond between the pair before the Waratahs kick off their 2025 campaign.

“Definitely playing a fair few games with him overseas with the Wallabies, it’s always good to build those connections,” Jorgensen said.

“Wherever we are in the backline, I think we’ll shape well together.”

New coach Dan McKellar, who took the Brumbies to domestic Super Rugby Australia glory during the COVID-19 interruption in 2021, named Suaalii at fullback for last week’s trial against the ACT Brumbies, with Jorgensen on the wing.

When Suaalii was a late scratching with a knee injury, Jorgensen shifted to No.15.

Wherever he slots in, Jorgensen is confident the Waratahs have the firepower to compete with New Zealand’s traditional powerhouses in 2025.

“It always comes down to that, but obviously you’ve just got to take it game by game. You can’t be looking that far ahead,” the 20-year-old said.

“Obviously last year was a struggle, a fair few (team) injuries which didn’t help.

“With the new coaching staff this year and a lot of new boys, I think it’ll be a good season.

“Obviously you’ve got to take it game by game, and it’s a new group of boys, so it’s always going to be hard. No one’s going to be perfect round one is what I’m saying.”

In addition to Suaalii joining the ranks, the Waratahs have picked up Wallabies quartet Taniela Tupou, Andrew Kellaway, Rob Leota and Darby Lancaster from the defunct Melbourne Rebels plus Isaac Kailea from the Western Force, among others.

Former England World Cup winner Mike Catt and ex-Wallabies prop Dan Palmer have joined McKellar on a coaching team led by new head of performance Tom Carter.

But Test players Ned Hanigan, Jed Holloway, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Izaia Perese, Dylan Pietsch and Lachlan Swinton have joined Nawaqanitawase in leaving the club.