Waratahs v Chiefs - Friday 11 April 2025

[Braveheart81]

NSW Waratahs Team to Play the Chiefs - Round 9

1. Loosehead Prop Angus Bell (Sydney University)

2. Hooker Ethan Dobbins (Sydney University)

3. Tighthead Prop Daniel Botha (Sydney University)

4. Left Lock Hugh Sinclair (C) (Northern Suburbs)

5. Right Lock Ben Grant (Sydney University)

6. Left Flanker Rob Leota (Eastern Suburbs)

7. Right Flanker Jamie Adamson (Eastern Suburbs) **

8. Number Eight Langi Gleeson (Manly)

9. Scrumhalf Teddy Wilson (Eastern Suburbs)

10. Flyhalf Lawson Creighton (Randwick)

11. Left Wing Triston Reilly (Randwick)

12. Inside Centre Joey Walton (Gordon)

13. Outside Centre Lalakai Foketi (Manly)

14. Right Wing Andrew Kellaway (Eastern Suburbs)

15. Fullback Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i

Replacements
16. Reserve Julian Heaven (Eastern Suburbs)

17. Reserve Isaac Kailea (Randwick)

18. Reserve Taniela Tupou (West Harbour)

19. Reserve Miles Amatosero (Eastern Suburbs)

20. Reserve Leafi Talataina (Sydney University)

21. Reserve Jack Grant (Eastern Suburbs)

22. Reserve Jack Bowen (Eastern Suburbs)

23. Reserve Henry O'Donnell (Northern Suburbs)



*Denotes 50th Cap
**Denotes first start




Players Unavailable for selection:
• Charlie Gamble (ill)

• Max Jorgensen (syndesmosis)

• Jake Gordon (medial ligament)

• Mahe Vailanu (broken arm)

• Darby Lancaster (concussion)

• Dave Porecki (calf)

• Fergus Lee-Warner (foot)

• Lucas Ripley (shoulder)

Apparently mandated resting is no longer mandatory...

 

[Wilson]

So much for wallaby rest, figures it'd be the tahs who dodge the requirements once everyone else has been dinged by it.

 

[Braveheart81]

With the absence of onfield success we have to find other ways to ensure fans in other states can maintain the rage.

The Tahs got Nathan Williamson to write an article on rugby.com.au earlier in the week about Angus Bell's 50th Super Rugby game to make it really awkward for them not to select them. Basically left RA with no choice but to greenlight it.

 

[Yoda]

No Edmed again?

 

[Wilson]

The Tahs are at their best when they lean into being the villains.

Would hate to think how far further they could fall if they started conducting themselves in a likeable and respectable way.

 

[Strewthcobber]

The only conclusion is that Bell, Tupou and Gleason won't be selected for the Wallabies

 

[Wilson]

Don't forget Leota

 

[Strewthcobber]

Goes without saying

 

[fatprop]

another centre pairing

 

[hawko07]

I don't remember seeing Foketi at 13 before? Seems strange swapping Walton and Foketi

 

[fatprop]

He has played a few times there, with no more success than his 12 efforts (the wings aren't going to bet much ball)

 

[Wilson]

It was the same setup in round 1 against the Highlanders

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

CHIEFS (1-15): Ollie Norris, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Dyer, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Tupou Vaa’i, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson (c), Simon Parker, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb, Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling, Shaun Stevenson, Damian McKenzie

Replacements: Bradley Slater, Jared Profit, Reuben O'Neill, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Kaylum Boshier, Xavier Roe, Daniel Rona, Emoni Narawa

 

[Braveheart81]

Well that Chiefs side doesn't look overly threatening. Tahs by -30!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Back-three of DMac, Shooter & Leroy so 'tahs long kicking game will need to be on point as will the chase line, any of those guys will see a misalignment a mile off & blast through it.

 

[Pfitzy]

Chiefs by a pile

 

[Heavyd]

If the clueless NSW coaches strategy is to aimlessly box kick to the Chiefs this could be 100-0.

 

[Derpus]

There is hope. I've agreed to go (for some fucken reason) and I have actually now been to three Waratah wins in a row (rather miraculously).

So yeah upsets on.

 

[Derpus]

Could we not play Leota in the locks and start Talataina? Grant and Sinclair are frankly farcicle.

 

[Adam84]

If Bell gets injured and missed the B&I Lions due to playing too many minutes because the Waratahs are an incompetent fucken organisation in bringing through and managing talent, I'll be dirty..
Out of the 'wallaby cohort of props', 3 props are yet to miss a game in 2025, Tupou, Bell and Roberston..

	Total Mins	Average Mins	Total Games
Roberston	468	66	8
Bell	404	57	7
AAA	351	58	6
Tupou	337	48	7
Slipper	324	54	6
Hodgman	265	53	5
Nongorr	220	44	5
De Luttis	195	48	4