Taine Randall feels that the Waratahs might just go all the way in 2014.
The glory boys, those pretty boys out of Australian rugby, who have a long history of not living up to the hype, are finally delivering on their promise.
History shows the Waratahs always start well and are always full of talent but tend to welter towards the end. What we’re seeing this season is that may not be the case. They finished the strongest in terms of position on the table and form. They are top qualifier; guaranteed home advantage as long as they’re in the competition and it would be pretty tough to say it wasn’t fully deserved.
The first person you choose in the team is the coach. If you had to choose between the best player and the coach you choose the coach. The coach sets the attitude of the team and there’s no doubt Michael Cheika deserves the greatest credit for the turnaround in fortune of the Waratahs. He’s been a breath of fresh air.
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It’s not just Cheika, either. His management staff – the role of guys like Daryl Gibson, who was dumped from the Crusaders, and to a lesser extent Andrew Mehrtens. Cheika hasn’t been afraid to cast the net wide and roll over some local parochial views to get the management team he wanted. He took Leinster to a Heineken Cup championship. The guy has pedigree.
We don’t see as much of the Australian coaches here but he looks to have instilled a tougher attitude.
The mark of a good coach is he gets guys to play to their potential. We all know about Israel Folau and Kurtley Beale. They’re doing really well but you expect that. Guys like Michael Foley, relatively unheard of at first-five, he’s been a crucial component for this team. That’s an example of the coaching set-up getting the lesser-known players to shine. That has not been the case with the Waratahs previously. As far as I’m concerned the coaching set-up has been their big difference.
Also hats off to Daryl Gibson. It was a big slap down to be fired from the Crusaders of all teams, but he’s shown his ability behind the scenes with the backline this year.
The ‘Tahs have a very good home record this season. They are odds-on to win the competition; except for the fact their bogey team are the red-and-blacks.
Twice previously the Crusaders have beaten the Waratahs in the final and they almost put 100 points on them one year, too. The Crusaders are not daunted by going to Sydney. And they are not daunted by playing the Waratahs.
The Crusaders don’t have a Beale or Folau but they have Dan Carter. I still struggle to understand why they are trying to play him at second-five though. Carter is a world-class first-five but he is an OK second-five.
In the Waratahs’ favour, they have two Crusaders legends in Gibson and Mehrtens in their coaching staff. That may well be the ace up their sleeve.