Author: Will McDougall

2014 Recap The 2015 Super Rugby season commences in unfamiliar territory for the NSW Waratahs. For the first time ever, 2014 wasn’t a season where the hype and expectation exceeded the results on the field. No more will Rod Kafer be able to smugly say that the Waratahs are in the 10th year of their five year plan. A whole lot of blood, sweat, tears and even an ill-conceived fan forum paved the way for the NSW Waratahs to hoist the Super Rugby trophy in 2014 after a dramatic last gasp penalty goal from Bernard Foley to defeat the Crusaders at…

Today Bill Pulver unveiled the new ARU contracting process for 2016 and beyond. The plan is centred around the ARU contracted Wallabies and specifically around players who sign long term contracts (understood to be three years). ARU CEO Bill Pulver said  “We’ve recognised that in the context of an increasingly global market for Rugby players that we need to take a more flexible approach to player contracting,” In addition to the contracting arrangements applying to Wallaby stars, it will also allow anyone who plays Rugby 7s at the Rio Olympics in 2016 to play rugby in Japan over the 2016/17 season before…

An irresistible force meets an immovable object The Waratahs have swept aside every team they’ve met on their way to hosting the Super Rugby Final on Saturday night in Sydney. The only team that stands between them and a maiden Super Rugby title are the Crusaders, their arch nemesis from New Zealand who denied them at the final hurdle in both 2005 and 2008. This time however it’s different. This is the best Waratahs team we’ve seen in the professional era and their commitment is obvious from the first minute to the last. The Brumbies presented the Waratahs with their…

Round 18 of Super Rugby concludes on Sunday afternoon at Allianz Stadium with the match everyone is anticipating. Victory over the Brumbies last weekend propelled the Tahs to the top of the table and Aussie conference champs. Across the Tasman, The Highlanders scraped home in a close one over the Chiefs to move to fourth and equal top of the New Zealand conference. The match of the round pits the two hottest backlines in the competition against each other and neither is short on form. After losing their inspirational captain Dave Dennis to a serious knee injury, the Waratahs will be…

Whilst it’s certain that the Wallabies were celebrating last Saturday night after their 3-nil series whitewash over France you can guarantee the party was short lived. Monday morning meant back to Super Rugby training in preparation for the last three rounds of the regular season and the finals. The test break did the Brumbies no favours on the injury front with Stephen Moore gone for the year after tearing his ACL and Sam Carter, Matt Toomua, and Pat McCabe all out for at least this week. Additional injuries to non-test players during club rugby and training have only exacerbated the…

The Waratahs are looking to take their good form to New Plymouth as they do battle with the Chiefs in what is shaping as a crtical game for both sides. The Waratahs have won three in a row for the first time this year but they know that winning streak has to continue if they’re to challenge for the minor premiership. A blowout loss to the Hurricanes last week saw the Chiefs slide from third on the ladder all the way down to eighth and their season now hangs in the balance. Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth will be almost…

Sunday afternoon Super Rugby returns to Allianz Stadium to conclude round 14. The Waratahs should be fresh after getting a weekend off for the bye and will be looking to launch their charge towards the end of the season with victory over the Lions. Whilst I’m sure the Tahs enjoyed the break, they would have also watched all their rivals win last weekend, pushing them from fourth to eighth on the table. It was a stark reminder of how tight the competition is and there being no room for mistakes. The Teams With Will Skelton starting ahead of…

This is shaping up to be a huge game for both teams and a loss will see either team finish the weekend outside the top 6. The Hurricanes will be brimming with confidence after four consecutive wins and will look to make it consecutive wins at Allianz Stadium after smashing the Waratahs in wet conditons in 2012. If ever there was a time to draw on their good home ground record this is it as the Waratahs are desperate for a win to get their campaign back on track and keep pace with the leaders. Failure to win away from…

Round 9 of Super Rugby sees the Western Force return to Perth looking to make it five wins in a row against the NSW Waratahs who are fresh off the back of a win against the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend.  The script for the return leg between the Force and the Waratahs couldn’t read any differently to the one that played out at Allianz Stadium in Sydney way back in February. The Western Force are red hot right now and are basking in the attention that winning four in a row brings. With a last gasp try to…

With both sides recording first up wins, this Saturday’s clash will hopefully be one to savour. Dubbed the Festival of Hate by one Green and Gold Rugby member, there’s sure to be little love lost when the two sides renew their fierce rivalry for 2014. It’s hard to judge the form of the two teams coming into the match. The Waratahs cantered to victory against the Force and would be happy with the six tries they scored. Dropped ball and ill-discipline however were far too frequent and they’ll be hoping for a marked improvement this week. The Reds on the…

Round 2 – Sunday 23 February, 2014 The Waratahs and the Force begin their Super Rugby seasons with a Sunday afternoon clash at Allianz Stadium. With an exciting backline named, the Waratahs will be hoping that the rain that has drenched Sydney this week goes away and they get a chance to play some running rugby. The main talking point in the Waratahs side is the selection of Kurtley Beale in the 12 jersey in his first Super Rugby match since returning to Sydney. If 2013 taught us anything it’s that Michael Foley likes to keep his cards close to…