WTF Waratahs: Rugby union’s sleeping giant remains stranded at rock bottom

NSW Waratahs are out of the finals race after a 27-7 defeat to Western Force left them on the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.NSW Waratahs are out of the finals race after a 27-7 defeat to Western Force left them on the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.It has been a painful refrain in Australian rugby circles for far too long and the lament has never been louder than right now.

The Tahs’ sole try-scorer in Saturday’s debacle – in which they conceded 27 unanswered points and coughed up 18 turnovers in another error-riddled showing – was Mark Nawaqanitawase, arguably Australia’s best player in the chaotic 2023 season. Yet it was the winger’s first try in 13 weeks, and after two more rounds he will defect to the NRL for the 2025 season.Nawaqanitawase isn’t the only one leaving the sinking ship.

But 2024 has been a disaster from day one. The Waratahs lost four of their first five games by seven points or less. They beat the Crusaders in early April but haven’t looked like winning since. The injury toll has been awful, with 16 frontline players injured, 13 of them scrubbed for the season, including all 10 contracted frontrowers.

Yet despite his 16% win record in 2024, Coleman was shown a latitude RA didn’t afford Wallabies coach Dave Rennie in sacking him to install Eddie Jones. When the Tahs dropped five or their first six games, a review was launched. But despite losing five of the next six, RA didn’t pull the trigger until this week, when they announced Coleman’s contract would not be renewed.

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