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Ex-Wallabies duo return from Japan to boost Waratahs' title hopes

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

With reinforcements arriving from Japan in the form of seasoned veterans Ned Hanigan and Paddy Ryan, the Waratahs say a home final is “critical” to their Super Rugby Pacific title ambitions.

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Wallabies forward Hanigan and NSW centurion prop Ryan have finished their overseas campaigns and returned to add some vital experience to the young Waratahs.

Spending two seasons in Japan, Hanigan has 21 test caps and can play in the back row or at lock, while Ryan last played for NSW in 2018.

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Hosting the Hurricanes at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night, the Waratahs are chasing a third successive victory.

NSW prop Angus Bell said 27-year-old Hanigan and Ryan, 33, had already made an impact at training.

“It just adds to the standard of training – as soon as they came in they had an immediate impact,” Bell said on Tuesday.

“You could just feel the competition within the squad and also the intensity just lift again.

“It’s been nothing but positive and plus those two are just top blokes … it’s great to have them both in the squad.”

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The Waratahs have matches against the Highlanders in Dunedin and Blues back at Leichhardt to come before the eight-team finals series.

Sitting in fifth on points differential, the test prop said that they desperately wanted a home quarter-final.

“I think it’s critical to our season,” Bell said.

“We started this year with a mentality of looking down the ladder but now we’re of the mentality that we’re looking up, we want to see how far we can go, how deep we can get in this competition – we want to win it.

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“And we think through getting the home final at Leichhardt or somewhere in Sydney would be the best opportunity to do that so we’re really pushing hard for that top four spot.”

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The Hurricanes lost to the Brumbies before thrashing Fijian Drua last round.

Waratahs centre Lalakai Foketi said there were lessons to be learnt from how the Canberra side triumphed.

“We’ve definitely looked at how the Brumbies nullified their opportunities,” he said.

“We know they can score points from all over the field and they’re the lowest kicking team in the competition so we know they’ll run from everywhere so we’ve got to be alert.”

Meanwhile, the Western Force will have to play three matches in seven days with their postponed game against Moana Pasifika rescheduled.

The match was initially due to be played in Super Round last month but was delayed by mounting COVID-19 cases in the Perth team.

The Force will play their round 14 match against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday May 21, Moana Pasifika at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium on Tuesday May 24 and then host the Hurricanes in their final round match four days later.

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Amelia Jonathan 3 hours ago
Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

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JW 5 hours ago
Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

I think Reece has bulked up too much and now doesn’t have the pace to perform to his previously high standards. He’s making himself less of a winger but I’m not really sure he’s filling another role succinctly either. I think criticism at the AB level has seen him try to redevelop his game, I’m really not sure he can be continued to be used at the highest level. Definitely becoming the wing version Richie Mo’unga is possible (if not already attained) at Super Rugby level however. I loved watching him play when he first broke through.

The Force are undeniably much improved this season, but it’s going to take some reps to prove to themselves that they really can hang with the big dogs.

Yeah they’re still well off in the quality personal front.

It was the 21-year-old’s first appearance of the season, and he certainly made the most of it, with 13 carries accounting for 50 running metres – each of them passing by in a blur as Springer made his may to the try line time and time again.

Will Jordan was playmaking superbly to assist the youngster’s points tally, but it was all individual brilliance in the 53rd minute when Springer tiptoed down the sideline before collecting his own chip kick and outpacing the final two defenders to score under the posts.

After pre-season I said that I wanted Springer to cement the starting jersey, and that (well I’ve not no idea exactly which sides they play) another new wing recruit, Kunawave, would replace Reece as the Fijian Flyer in the team by season end. Reece might be making that tough, but unfortunately it looks like there wasn’t a full squad spot for the young fella and he has since made his AB7s debut instead. Watch this space though as he and Saifoloi look to have the X factor👍


That Jordan pass to Springer aside it was otherwise a very lackluster game for him as he looks to be struggling with processing his option taking in this new style he’s trying. Still have to think a man of that talent and ingenuity is going to make it click sooner or later though!

t’s a congested position, and after Ennor shot down talk of him being swept up by a Top 14 outfit this week, it looks as if the Crusaders have some selection headaches to solve in the coming weeks.

That’s great news. I can’t remember if it was because he actually made his return in pre-season or not but for some reason I was liking how Ennor looked like he might be providing the right options for Saders and even ABs when back. Very pleased to see him fit straight in though there was plenty of space on offer but he almost looked as if he was more dangerous with no space. Could be the long looked for option at 13?

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