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New South Wales Waratahs Super 14 preview: potent backs must get the ball
By Greg Clark
Fox Sports rugby commentator
February 04, 2010.
Chris Hickey will have learned valuable lessons from his first season as New South Wales Waratahs head coach in 2009, and it's hoped that he'll allow the team to play a more expansive game this year.
If the Tahs are going to win with a bonus point, they need to utilise the speed and class in their backline.
With speedsters like Lachie Turner, Soseni Onesi, Drew Mitchell and Kurtley Beale on the end of a backline that features Rob Horne, Berrick Barnes and Luke Burgess, the Waratahs boast one of the most potent set of backs in the tournament.
Ball-winning shouldn’t be a problem up front, with an already experienced pack boosted by South African giant Hendrik Roodt and Cam Jowitt, who joins from Leinster in Ireland.
The draw hasn’t been kind to the Waratahs, as they only have six home games this year. The first three on the road will be tough, against old foes Queensland Reds and then two of the more fancied South African teams, the Stormers and the Bulls.
They also have tough assignments on the road against Western Force, the Crusaders and last year’s beaten finalists, the Chiefs.
The blockbuster home games will be against the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium in week 11, and the final-round game against the Hurricanes at the SFS.
Fox Facts: New South Wales Waratahs
Home ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Chris Hickey
Best Super 12/14 finish: Runners-up 2008
Last season: P13 W9 D0 L4 F241 A212 BP5 Pts41 (fifth)
Squad:
Chris Alcock, Sosene Anesi, Berrick Barnes, Alastair Baxter, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Will Caldwell, Tom Carter, Ben Coridas, Dave Dennis, Damien Fitzpatrick, Adam Freier, Daniel Halangahu, Josh Holmes, Rob Horne, Cam Jowitt, Sekope Kepu, Drew Mitchell, Ben Mowen, Dean Mumm, Nemani Nadolo, Dan Palmer, Wycliff Palu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Hendrik Roodt, Rory Sidey, Chris Thomson, Jeremy Tilse, Lachie Turner, Phil Waugh (C)
Gains: Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds) , Sosene Anesi (Chiefs), Hendrik Roodt (South Africa), Cam Jowitt (Leinster), Josh Holmes (Brumbies), Brendan McKibbin (Queensland Reds)
Losses: Matt Dunning (Western Force), Lote Tuqiri (Leicester), Timana Tahu (NRL)
Waratahs' Head-To-Head Records
Week 1, v Queensland Reds (away)
H2H: Played 14: Won 5, Drawn 1, Lost 8 -
In Brisbane: Played 7: Won 2, Lost 5 -
Week 2, v Stormers (away)
H2H: Played 13: Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 6 =
In Cape Town/Wellington (RSA): Played 7: Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 3 =
Week 3, v Bulls (away)
H2H: Played 15: Won 8, Lost 7 +
In Pretoria/Witbank: Played 7: Won 2, Lost 5 -
Week 4, v Sharks (home)
H2H: Played 15: Won 9, Drawn 1, Lost 5 +
In Sydney: Played 8: Won 6, Lost 2 +
Week 5, v Lions (home)
H2H: Played 14: Won 12, Lost 2 +
In Sydney: Played 7: Won 7, Lost 0 +
Week 6, v Western Force (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 1 +
In Perth: Played 2: Won 2, Lost 0 +
Week 7, v Blues (home)
H2H: Played 14: Won 5, Lost 9 -
In Sydney: Played 7: Won 4, Lost 3 +
Week 8, v Cheetahs (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 3, Lost 1 +
In Sydney: Played 2: Won 2, Lost 0 +
Week 9, v Crusaders (away)
H2H: Played 16: Won 4, Lost 12 -
In Christchurch: Played 9: Won 1, Lost 8 -
Week 10, Bye
Week 11, v Brumbies (home)
H2H: Played 15: Won 8, Lost 7 +
In Sydney (at SFS): Played 8: Won 7, Lost 1 +
Week 12, v Highlanders (away)
H2H: Played 14: Won 11, Lost 3 +
In Dunedin: Played 7: Won 6, Lost 1 +
Week 13, v Chiefs (away)
H2H: Played 14: Won 8, Lost 6 +
In Hamilton/Rotorua/Waikato: Played 7: Won 3, Lost 4 -
Week 14, v Hurricanes (home)
H2H: Played 15: Won 7, Lost 8 -
In Sydney: Played 7: Won 5, Lost 2 +
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