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How winless Waratahs plan to clinch miracle victory following Rob Penney's sacking

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The NSW Waratahs maintain they can pull off a sporting miracle and break their season duck in one of the Super Rugby AU club’s most turbulent weeks in history.

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The winless Waratahs are given next to no chance when they host the defending champion Brumbies at the SCG on Friday night.

Reeling in turmoil following last Sunday’s dramatic sacking of coach Rob Penney following three record defeats in five outings in 2021, the Waratahs are rated 10-1 long shots in a two-team race.

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James O’Connor speaks to media ahead of Rebels clash

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James O’Connor speaks to media ahead of Rebels clash

But returning skipper Jake Gordon defiantly insists the end goal must be to win despite the enormous odds stacked against them.

“We have to focus on our process to get there but we’ve got some tools in place that can benefit us and we think being professional athletes and competitive, we’re there to win,” Gordon said after Thursday’s captain’s run.

“We’ve got a great plan this week around how we’re going to nullify their attacking opportunities.

“We know they’ve got a really strong set piece, a very big forward pack.

“Lennie (Ikitau) and Irae (Simone) are doing a really good job in the centres and they’ve got obviously Tom Wright back out wide.

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“So great coverage across the field but we have a few tricks in there to I guess nullify their set piece.”

Gordon, who hasn’t played since suffering a high-ankle injury in round one, conceded Penney’s axing was a shock to the entire Waratahs system.

“It’s a reality check for everybody here,” he said.

“In a high-performance environment, you’re never really safe and results dictate your future.

“It’s unlucky that it’s happened to Rob but it’s a reality check to the group that performance is the No.1 (priority) here.”

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Gordon also confessed to being bewildered by the Tahs’ abject start to the season, despite the franchise enduring a mass exodus of senior players and a wretched run with injury.

“It’s been hard,” the halfback said.

“If you’d asked me at the start of the year, I wouldn’t have expected this to happen.

“It has been very hard to watch.”

Gordon said he knew he had fully recovered from his syndesmosis after getting through a hearty contact session on Tuesday.

“The biggest thing is tackling in the same position and it felt really good so I’m ready to go,” he said.

“I’m rehabbed. Some are a lot harder (sessions) than the training sessions. I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning so I’m in fairly good nick.”

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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