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Waugh praises Waratahs in title bid
24th April 2008, 15:00 WST
NSW captain Phil Waugh has lauded his team’s amazing strength of character as the Waratahs strive to complete the biggest turnaround in Super rugby history with an elusive maiden title this season.
The Waratahs finished second last in 2007 - above only the hapless Queensland Reds - but the class of 2008 have the opportunity to snare second place on the ladder and, with it, the inside running for a home semi-final with victory over the Sharks at the SFS on Saturday night.
Suddenly, barely a month after being widely condemned as the competition’s great underachievers, the Waratahs are daring to believe they can pull off the impossible.
No team in 12 previous years of Super rugby can boast of going from 13th to first in a single season.
“For a side that I guess performed so poorly last year there’s a really good feel amongst this team,” Waugh said today.
“There are a lot of guys who experienced last year, which has probably turned into a positive for us. We’ve been able to win the close games.
“This competition is about winning games when you don’t play particularly well and we’ve been able to squeeze out a couple of close wins and they all add up at this stage of the season.”
Lost by most in the misery of 2007 was the fact the Waratahs were decimated by the absence for most or all of the season of mainstays Waugh, Chris Whitaker, Dan Vickerman, Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Al Kanaar and Shaun Berne.
And even when they started this season with four wins from their first six games, the Waratahs were chastised for playing boring rugby while coach Ewen McKenzie was told his services would not be required in 2008.
But Waugh today paid tribute to his resolute troops for their ability to galvanise as a unit and maintain focus on trying to please the arguably most demanding fans in Australian sport.
“It’s just part of the game here in Sydney. You could be winning every week but, if you’re not looking great and exciting everyone, then you tend to get the criticism,” he said.
“I guess that’s just the nature of the beast here in Sydney.
“The beauty of it is that the team has always stayed pretty confident about the direction we’re heading and we still feel like we haven’t played nearly our best football, which is exciting with four rounds to go.”
The Waratahs, though, are well aware they will need to produce their best rugby on Saturday to beat the Sharks, the 2007 minor premiers who have lost only one game this campaign to be sitting one competition point above the Waratahs in second position.
The Tahs, who have named an unchanged line-up for the third match in a row, are particularly conscious of the threat that French international Frederic Michalak poses.
Not that Kurtley Beale is fretting about his five-eighth duel with Michalak, which could well decide the outcome.
“Well, I’ve been playing against your Dan Carters and Matt Giteaus, so I’m just going to treat it like playing another game, playing against one of those blokes.
“I’m just going to follow my game plan and stick to my little goals in the game and just try and forget about him. If he pops up, he pops up.
“They’ve got a lot of Springboks in the team so we’re not just going to focus on a few of them. We’re going to focus on the whole team and try and really give it to them.”
AAP
What a pile of steaming elephants! The horrotahs are blaming their poor season last year on the absence of the players above. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Mat Rogers did not play for the horrotahs in 2007 and Wendell was still suffering from "white line fever". Maybe they have been mentioned because they are still being paid by the horrotahs?
wouldnt rogers' contract have been concidered void when he went back to leauge?
I considered his contract void the instant he signed it!
He wasn't worth poo poo...!
Last edited by travelling_gerry; 25-04-08 at 18:52. Reason: just being politically correct..
C'mon the![]()
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Wendell was pretty good, made lots of yards and was entertaining. Mat the Rat was a play maker and could make things happen on the field. A bit injury prone though. Not having Vicks or the Angry Rabbit hurt too. You can hate some of those players but they definitely were not guys who just kicked a ball around for half an hour on the weekend for fun. They could/can play and create openings. Take some of their skills ( and take off the labels given to them by the unkind few) and give them to a few home grown WA players and the love will come back here.
Lose the negativity people!!
Still had a shitzen season though, can't deny that. Still need a good kicker too. I'm leaning towards a draw for tomorrow night.
Laura Force Addict v Chook scrabble-off on Facebook: laura & Force Addict 0 | chook 9
Gigsa made me do it
"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu
I'd have to agree with you there Chook. I liked watching Wendell & Matty Rogers play. I was most disappointed to hear about Wendell's 'problems', even though its unlikely he will return to Union, I honestly hope he makes a Rugby comeback.
wendell vs cousins boxing match ..... cocaine for the pain...... thugs on drugs...... the piller killer........ promoters dream!!!!!
What happened to the Sharks? Poor performance at key times, bombed a few tries and the Tahs matched and exceeded them in the physical stuff. Still wouldnt want ot play them at home though.
Francois is a target cos of his beautiful hair but his attempt at a beard is poor. I though with Freddo Frog going off and Ruan coming the Sharks would be a little more cohesive but Ruan is an 'up and down' type player. Still good though, but not enough on the night.
Bonus point to the Tahs was handy. Waugh and Palu were awesome. Lineout was solid, scrum was solid. Burgess is a very handy player. Kurtley does some odd things at times, some aimless kicking and passing to players under pressure but then does some good things to balance it up.
Still need a kicker although Lote potting a long distance one was fanTAHstic!
Laura Force Addict v Chook scrabble-off on Facebook: laura & Force Addict 0 | chook 9
Gigsa made me do it
"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu
well done to tah's, never headed in that game!
They sure looked the goods that game!
As much as it pains me to say it....the Tahs have been the real surprise package of this season & have built their challenge on the back of fantastic defence & some physicality in the back row (No8 in particular).
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!