Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Flailing Waratahs desperate to avoid wooden spoon

Jake Gordon of the Waratahs leads the team out onto the field during the round 13 Super Rugby Pacific match between Western Force and NSW Waratahs at HBF Park, on May 18, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

NSW Waratahs coach Darren Coleman isn’t sure if he’ll be given the chance to lead next year’s rebuild, but he doesn’t want 2024 to end with a wooden spoon.

ADVERTISEMENT

The last-placed Waratahs slumped to a 2-10 record on Saturday night after crashing to a 27-7 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Western Force in Perth.

The Waratahs led 7-0 after eight minutes, but conceded the next 27 points on the way to another disappointing defeat.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

The result was all the more disappointing given it was captain Jake Gordon’s 100-match milestone.

Points Flow Chart

Force win +20
Time in lead
66
Mins in lead
5
80%
% Of Game In Lead
6%
62%
Possession Last 10 min
38%
0
Points Last 10 min
0

Coleman is about to come out of contract, with his future to be decided during a review at the end of the season.

Given the Waratahs’ dire results this season, Coleman’s three-year reign looks unlikely to continue.

“It’s not great, but that’s the job you take,” Coleman said of the coaching uncertainty.

“People pat you on the back when you’re winning and it’s tough when you’re losing, that’s professional sports.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Although I’m not proud of this year’s results at all, I’ve still got a great job.”

Attack

145
Passes
174
91
Ball Carries
122
158m
Post Contact Metres
239m
6
Line Breaks
4

With the Waratahs a whopping nine points adrift of eighth spot with only two rounds remaining, Coleman has directed his team’s focus to avoiding the wooden spoon.

The Waratahs (12 points) can leapfrog 11th-placed Moana Pasifika (14 points) when they face off next Saturday.

The 10th-placed Crusaders (15 points) are also within touching distance of the Waratahs.

After taking on Moana away from home, NSW will finish their season hosting the Reds.

ADVERTISEMENT

“No-one wants that wooden spoon, so we’ll busting our arse to finish with two more wins and perform better than we did (against the Force),” Coleman said.

Waratahs prop Lewis Ponini is in doubt for the final two matches after limping off against the Force, adding to the team’s horror injury woes.

While things are doom-and-gloom at the Waratahs, the Force are daring to dream of snaring a finals berth after posting back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The Force are just two points adrift of eighth-placed Fijian Drua, but they face tough matches against the Queensland Reds (away) and the Brumbies (home) to round out the season.

Their confidence is sky high after following up their 48-10 demolition of Fijian Drua with a crushing win over the Waratahs.

“Something we spoke about as a forward group is that all year we haven’t had a back-to-back win, so that gives us confidence,” Force captain Jeremy Williams said.

“But we won’t be celebrating too long.

“We know the position we’re in, and we move on to the Reds.”

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
j
john 169 days ago

Coleman is gaawwwwnnn.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim
Search