They have drafted in a new coach, two superstars on million-dollar salaries and may even have too many Wallabies players to fit on the reserves bench.
But the origin of a Waratahs revival in 2025 could end up being attributed to a far less glamorous catalyst – a couple of months of watching grass grow.
A substandard training field at NSW Rugby headquarters at Daceyville was identified as one of the contributing factors to the extraordinary spate of front-row injuries at the Waratahs last season, which in itself was a major reason for NSW finishing with just two wins and the wooden spoon.
After starting the year with seven props and three hookers in their full-time squad, the Waratahs lost all 10 contracted players to season-ending injuries, and a fourth hooker as well; and most were lower-leg injuries. The Tahs were forced to call up numerous players from club rugby.
A deep-dive review was conducted by the Waratahs and Rugby Australia in the post-season, studying factors like training loads and injury management for each player.
But new Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said fixing up the training field next to the Tahs’ HQ was also a clear priority, after being flagged as a contributing factor in some of the injuries.
Dan McKellar talks to his players at Waratahs pre-season training.Credit: Hugo Carr/NSW Waratahs
“The field wasn’t great when I turned up, that’s for sure,” McKellar said. “And if you’re training on a crap field, it’s going to load up your tendons and your joints and your muscles and that sort of thing, if it’s rock hard.
“This is high performance and the boys are training out there four times a week, so it needs to be quality. It’s improved significantly.”
With the Waratahs men’s and women’s teams, and academy teams, all training on the field full-time, the traffic load was high. The field then also hosted the Australian sevens teams and the Wallabies, meaning the turf suffered under the strain.
Waratahs prop Angus Bell, who suffered a season-ending toe injury for a second consecutive year, said the field was “too hard and not conducive to scrummaging”.
The Waratahs front-rowers lost to season-ending injuries last year. Clockwise from top left: Hayden Thompson-Stringer (knee), Tom Lambert (knee), Dave Porecki (Achilles), Tom Ross (knee), Archer Holz (shoulder), Theo Fourie (foot), Daniel Botha (Achilles), Harry Johnson-Holmes (Achilles), Mahe Vailanu (knee), Angus Bell (foot).Credit: Illustration: Marija Ercegovac
“The turf last year was terrible. It was pretty tough last year because a lot of the boys, a lot of young guys, sustained pretty big injuries, which is pretty tough on a young player,” Bell said.
“I have been through my injuries as well. My body didn’t like that field, but now it is a lot better, which is good.”
The Waratahs hope the lessons of the 2024 review – and a plusher field – will help ensure all their front-rowers stay healthy this year, and particularly their first-choice Test trio of Taniela Tupou, Dave Porecki and Bell, who all have recent history of lower-limb injuries.
The Tahs’ pain may help keep their Super Rugby rivals healthier, too. The findings and recommendations from the Waratahs/RA review into the front-row carnage proved so insightful they have been shared with all Australian Super Rugby sides to implement.
Harry Johnson-Holmes is helped from the field last year.Credit: Getty
The Waratahs’ training field underwent a full restoration ahead of the pre-season, which began officially in November last year, and stricter rules around access have reduced traffic levels leading up to the 2025 season.
The Super Rugby Pacific season begins in three weeks, and the Waratahs begin trial-season proper on Saturday against the Brumbies in Bowral.
With all Wallabies players available, McKellar will roll out his strongest side yet and though he warned it wouldn’t necessarily translate to his round-one team on February 14, the first clues about the new coach’s thinking began to emerge at training.
Joseph Suaalii-Aukuso looks set to play fullback, with Max Jorgensen and Andrew Kellaway on the wings, and Tane Edmed at No.10, with Joey Walton and Lalakai Foketi in the midfield.
NSW Waratahs recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.Credit: AAP
Rob Leota looks set to make a NSW debut at No.6 and towering lock recruit Ben Grant is a good chance to start with Miles Amatosero.
McKellar said he was still unsure about where he would deploy Suaalii, and though he converses with Joe Schmidt about his plans, the Wallabies coach would not dictate where he should be playing in sky blue.
“He has trained on the wing, he has done some training at 13 and is training at 15 at the moment. He wants to learn all positions and we are learning where we can get him into the game most and best, and what position suits that,” McKellar said.
Given fullback handles the ball twice as much as outside-centre, there is a strong chance Suaalii will play No.15, leaving Jorgensen and Kellaway as the wing pairing and Darby Lancaster – another Wallaby – competing with Triston Reilly to make the reserves bench.
“In terms of selection, it will be what’s best for the team. That’s what it will come down to, not just the best 15 players,” McKellar said.
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