NSW Waratahs to hold internal forum after woeful performance in one-point loss to Western Force
Having endured the public humiliation of being jeered by 14,000 of their own fans, New South Wales Waratahs will now face the private embarrassment of being judged by each other.
NSW's senior players and coaching staff held a no-holds-barred meeting on Sunday.
And on Monday they will gather as a squad to dish out some hard truths before training as they reflect on their worst start to a season since 1998.
The
Waratahs' turbulent relationship with their supporters continues after the shock 21-20 loss to Western Force at the weekend.
They were also jeered from the field after a surprise defeat to the Cheetahs last year, which was followed by a heated "fan forum".
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Players will now have their own internal forum. But while it has the potential to ruin friendships, they concede it is necessary after three losses in four games.
"Everyone deals with honesty in their own way," winger
Adam Ashley-Cooper said. "Even though it hurts short-term, there will be benefits long-term.
"We're only going to challenge each other if we want the best out of each other.
"Honesty hurts, but we're in an industry where you have to be honest, especially at this level.
"If we want to be the best and win this competition, we have to be honest with ourselves. There are 22 players who are accountable."
Waratahs hooker
Tatafu Polota-Nau said: "Guys don't really take it personally, because it's for the benefit of the team, and we all bought into that. If they do, they're going into their shell. But we've been in instances like this and guys have experience from it. I'm confident guys can really take this lesson and progress to better things.
"Before the year started we said we needed to stay together.
"I still have confidence that the guys are barely scratching the surface of releasing their potential.
"We'll get there, it's just a matter of when.
"We went through this last year with the Cheetahs.
"We didn't execute there and the guys were disappointed, so we went back to the drawing board."
Ashley-Cooper, like NSW's supporters, hopes the back three receives some attacking ball this weekend against the Sharks.
"Set-piece let us down, and from a back-three perspective we just didn't get enough ball to attack with," Ashley-Cooper said.
Waratahs chief executive Jason Allen will remind the players to respect their fans in the aftermath of their humiliating loss.
Allen will be presented with a briefing by coaching staff into the sub-par performance at Allianz Stadium.
"I look forward to that," Allen said. "We're all disappointed but I am pretty confident the group will move forward.
"One thing we will be refocused on is that we really need to respect our fans and members.
"We have worked really hard as an organisation to reconnect with all of our fans."
Following the loss, Polota-Nau said the team did not care about the jeering because the game plan had been to kick the ball and play in the opposition's quarter.
Given the set-up of the competition, wins at home are crucial and NSW have lost their opening two in Sydney.
Rocky Elsom will remain sidelined this week with his hamstring injury, but NSW believe backrow enforcer Wycliff Palu will return after being troubled by cramp in the past fortnight.
