Waratahs coach Darren Coleman is confident that his NSW side can salvage their season and secure a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final spot despite suffering another ugly defeat on Friday night.
The Waratahs are licking their wounds after recording their worst loss of the season and heaviest ever against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby history.
In a season of near misses for NSW, this was far from that as the men in sky blue watched the Hurricanes open up a 31-0 lead before putting the finishing touches on a 41-12 win in Wellington.
The margin of defeat (29 points) surpasses the Waratahs’ 42-17 loss to the Hurricanes in 2001 and is less than ideal with four regular season games remaining.
The Hurricanes continued their nine-year winning streak over NSW in a game where Salesi Rayasi scored a second half double for the home side.
“It’s probably the only game this year where I didn’t feel we were in it,” Coleman said. “That game was all done after 25 minutes. I don’t think we played good footy at any point tonight.”
It is remarkable to think the Waratahs could lose eight of 10 matches this season but remain a mathematical chance of playing finals.
NSW, still in 11th place on the ladder, will need to win three or four of their remaining fixtures against the Brumbies (home), Western Force (away), Moana Pasifika (away) and Queensland Reds (home) to sneak into the top eight.
“I believe you have to hurt after a loss. We’re well aware of what the next four weeks holds. We’ll definitely have a positive mindset,” Coleman said.
“The beauty of the comp is we have four games to go. We win those four and we’re in the play-offs. Although I am hurting at the moment - and the team is as well - we will dust ourselves off and give it a shake on the way home.
Brett Cameron of the Hurricanes scores a try.Credit: Getty
“They were exceptional there. We couldn’t stop their roll-on or their offloads. We weren’t physical. That was an impressive first bit of footy.”
The Waratahs rested regular starters Max Jorgensen and Charlie Gamble and looked incapable of making a dent in the Hurricanes’ defence in a scoreless first half for NSW.
Waratahs assistant coach Chris Whitaker did not mince his words at half-time with his team down 26-0 and looking bereft of answers against a rampaging Hurricanes outfit coming off a narrow loss to the Brumbies in Canberra last week.
“We’re coming second at the moment by a long way,” the former Waratahs great told local broadcasters.
By full-time, debutant Vuate Karawalevu (65th minute) and 50th gamer Hugh Sinclair (75th minute) had tries to their names to add some respectability to an unflattering scoreline.
“I thought the way they played with speed at the start of the game was hard to stay with,” said Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon. “We knew they were powerful and we had trouble containing them. They are a quality team. We do some good stuff and then let ourselves down. We need to do it for longer.
Waratahs No.10 Will Harrison.Credit: Getty
“It’s a sprint this competition. We’re going to have to move quick. It’s a big week for us.”
Trailing 31-0, you could have forgiven the Waratahs for lining up a penalty with 17 minutes remaining to get themselves on the scoreboard.
Only once since Super Rugby began in 1996 have the Waratahs finished a match without scoring a point. That took place in 2018 when the Waratahs were humbled 29-0 by the Lions in Sydney.
Karawalevu’s five-pointer down the right edge was a sigh of relief for the team and a nice moment for the outside back who was once contracted by the Sydney Roosters.
At times, the Waratahs’ defence was diabolical. They missed 41 tackles compared to the Hurricanes who did not complete 15. First tackles just did not stick.
The Waratahs’ season is on life support heading into a clash with the Brumbies in Sydney next Saturday.
Another loss might also seal Coleman’s fate, with NSW officials set to make a call on his future after the season.
Despite a front-rower shortage and a team down on confidence, Coleman is trying his best but the team has gone backwards since last year and need to show some spark in May or start to contemplate where they might go for an early holiday.
