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Waratahs' mates too scared to mention the rugby

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Vice-captain Alex Newsome has laid bare the feeling of despair and humiliation inside the walls of the NSW Waratahs as their Super Rugby season from hell continues.

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Winless in 11 games, the Waratahs leaked another 54 points on the weekend and have conceded an average of 56 points a game in three heavy Trans-Tasman defeats to the Crusaders, Blues and Hurricanes.

“Massively deflating,” Newsome said after squirming through another brutal review on Monday.

“You go out and have a feed with your mates at the pub and they’re almost too scared to ask you about how footy’s going because they know that you haven’t won a game all year.”

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The winger said it was impossible to explain the “lazy” efforts in defence week in, week out and that the Waratahs had run out of excuses as professional footballers.

“They’re embarrassing reviews,” Newsome said.

“We’ve got guys being accountable in the reviews but it’s too late then, isn’t it? That’s what’s disappointing.”

Australian sides are a collective one from 15 against New Zealand opposition, but Newsome said the Waratahs needed to draw inspiration from the Queensland Reds’ hoodoo-busting win over the Chiefs on Saturday, as well as the barnstorming form of NSW centre Izaia Perese.

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“We’ve just got to stop putting all these Kiwi sides on a pedestal and look at what the Reds did in that first half on Saturday night and look at what Izzy’s been doing to defences and just rip into them,” he said.

“When Australian sides are really confrontational and just backing themselves, you can just see what they can do.

“Everyone’s two arms, two legs and a heartbeat. Everyone’s built the same.

“So obviously it’s been a shocker of a year but we’re looking to finish with two wins and we’re fair dinkum about that.”

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Defence coach Jason Gilmore, who’s put his hand up to take on the head coaching role following the mid-season sacking of Rob Penney, said the Waratah s needed some serious soul searching to emerge from t heir darkest season on record.

“You can’t sugarcoat it, that’s for sure. Some boys are going to have a good, hard look at themselves and front up this week,” Gilmore said.

“When you’re playing against the Kiwi sides, you’ve got to stay alert. You can’t clock off for a second.

“It’s the first time we’ve played the Kiwi sides for a while and the speed of the game has probably caught us on the hop a bit.”

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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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