Waratahs look at the wider picture
from Rugby Heaven
Friday, January 20, 2006
NSW are planning on taking full advantage of new attacking weapons Wendell Sailor and Sam Norton-Knight with a more expansive game plan in the coming Super 14 season.
The Waratahs recorded their best finish in the Super 12 competition last season before losing the final to the Crusaders 35-25 at Jade Stadium. But they were also criticised for their forward- and territory-oriented approach against the Crusaders and accused of becoming too reliant on their defence to graft out wins.
Coach Ewen McKenzie yesterday suggested his side would play with more width this year, boosted by the quality back-line signings of former Queensland winger Sailor and ex-ACT utility Norton-Knight.
"We will be playing the game differently this year because we have different skills, we are a fairly honest team and honest about what we are capable of doing," McKenzie said.
"I think this year we have different capabilities, we won't throw everything out the window, but I don't expect us to play entirely the same way as we did last year."
The recruits have made the competition for spots in the NSW back line very competitive and McKenzie felt the Waratahs finally had the necessary depth to cover injuries. "Whereas a couple of years, when we lost Mat Rogers, it made it very hard for us the whole year, we are not in that position now," he said. McKenzie was still weighing up his options for the five-eighth position, with the multi-faceted Rogers and Norton-Knight in contention.
The Waratahs have named a 26-man squad for their opening trial match this Saturday against the ACT Brumbies in Wollongong. Back-rower Stephen Hoiles returns from a knee injury to captain NSW, with both sides opting to rest the majority of their stars. McKenzie wants to give all his players an opportunity to impress before the side's Super 14 opener against Queensland in Brisbane on February 11.
The NSW camp remains hopeful that lineout leader Dan Vickerman will be fit in time to play the Reds. "It is tight but he is training well, and this week he has been doing a lot of the contact work and confidence-wise he is in really good shape," McKenzie said.
The coach was confident that NSW had sufficient depth in the second row despite Justin Harrison's departure. "[I'm] more concerned because Al Kanaar has had a couple of niggling injuries which have been lingering on, he is a guy we have hopes for, Will Caldwell has had a good last six months. We don't have as many names there as in the past," McKenzie said.
Adam Freier and explosive youngster Tatafu Polota-Nau are set to fight it out for the No.2 jumper, with the more experienced Freier appearing to have the inside running. Rogers is set to return to training next week from bereavement leave following the sudden death of his father, rugby league great Steve Rogers, earlier this month.