Last, but not least, the final preview before the season gets underway is the side that, more than any other, comes into the season as an absolute wildcard.
The 2024 season was a nightmare for the Waratahs – de-railed by poor performances, an injury crisis so bad the squad had to put the call out several times for new players from the Shute Shield, and a collapse in the structure and team culture – with players leaving in droves come season’s end.
The result? A wooden spoon – only the second in their history following the one-off Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition in 2021, and their first ever in any expanded format of Super Rugby. It was a total disaster.
Even worse, it was the first year the Tahs were under the stewardship of Rugby Australia – and it marked a clear moment where years of issues, player management and a lack of planning converged into one car crash of a year.
While most of these issues could be laid at the feet of former coach Darren Coleman, many of these problems had extended back for the better part of a decade, signifying how far the Tahs had fallen off since Michael Cheika’s departure and their 2014 title.
The club needed to move with the times and needed a complete cleanout. Rugby Australia delivered.
New directors, a new high-performance manager, 14 new signings and a new coach in Dan McKellar, with one of the strongest coaching teams ever assembled at the club.
So extensive was the revamp, evening the training pitch wasn’t spared – with Daceyville’s surface blamed for many of the injuries the Tahs sustained last year.
The Waratahs. (Photo by Luis Veniegra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The issues that emerged during the 2024 season on the field were extensive, but the biggest by far was an attack struggling to make inroads – with only 38 tries (third-worst in the competition), 74 clean breaks (fourth-worst) and 1,612 carries (fourth-worst).
In this regard, McKellar is looking to address the attack problems in spades. His side boasts 14 Wallabies, with options across all positions – from the return of veteran Andrew Kellaway and youngster Darby Lancaster in the back three to established Wallabies in Taniela Tupou and Rob Leota adding critical depth in the scrum – plus also serving as good, physical runners along incumbents like Angus Bell.
The team needs to go forward and physicality, but it also needs dimension – and McKellar will put the likes of new superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to good use, partnering alongside Jake Gordon, Tane Edmed and Lakai Foketi to make an imposing backline.
This influx of players will likely mean McKellar not only has an abundance of riches to get the attack humming but also, will mean he should not experience the depth issues Coleman dealt with – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t concerns, especially in the scrum.
The Tahs boast a Wallaby starting front row, but depth options beneath drop off quickly, meaning those players will have to work closely with Mike Catt to ensure they are up to standard. This also extends to the engine room – and while the Tahs do boast talented options in Hugh Sinclair and Miles Amatosero, a lack of international experience in the second row will be a target.
There is also the reality that with so much new blood in the ranks, getting the squad stable will likely be a major challenge for McKellar. But a lot of good rugby minds are focusing on that goal in the halls of Daceyville – and that could likely be addressed quickly if the side gets several early wins.
In effect, the entire year is a free hit, because things couldn’t get much worse after 2024. Any progression forward is a step in the right direction. McKellar will look to take that free hit and go for a big swing.
While the new coach has remained tight-lipped on how his Waratahs will play, he’s talked about a complex, multi-dimensional game plan for the men in sky blue.
While he has the cattle to pull it off and ask plenty of questions of the best sides, it’ll only be able to come to fruition if the side can hit the ground running.
Fortunately, the draw offers ample opportunities.
Season run:
Highlanders (H), Bye, Drua (H), Force (H), Reds (A), Brumbies (H), Hurricanes (A), Moana Pasifika (A), Chiefs (H), Drua (A), Bye, Brumbies (A), Reds (H), Crusaders (H), Force (A), Blues (A)
As far as draws go, the Waratahs might have hit the jackpot in 2025 – with many opportunities to string together wins, get on a roll, and push for finals.
The side boasts one of the best starts to the season of any side in the competition, with four of their first five games at home. Hosting the Highlanders, Drua and Force in those games marks three very winnable opportunities at home to get them on a roll.
The Reds and Brumbies matches will be critical clashes throughout the season in terms of determining where the Aussie sides finish – and this will roll into two weeks on the road in New Zealand facing the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.
Dan McKellar is making no great sweeping statements ahead of his first season in charge of the Waratahs. Photo: Hugo Carr/NSW Waratahs
The middle of the season will be the toughest period for McKellar’s men, hosting finalists the Chiefs and two tough away trips on either side of the bye to Lautoka and Canberra.
However, the end of the draw, aside from a trip to Eden Park, will finish with back-to-back home matches against the Reds and Crusaders – and a banana skin match in the West that could prove critical if the Tahs are in the hunt for a finals spot.
The Waratahs, along with their Kiwi counterparts Highlanders, loom as the real dark horses of the competition – but unlike the Dunedin side, McKellar’s men have an opportunity to turn things around fast in Sydney with a Wallaby-heavy squad and a favourable draw.
While winning the title might be a stretch in 2025, sneaking into finals is a real possibility. With the pieces McKellar has, the side will likely just squeak in.
Prediction: 6th
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