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The Waratahs are Super Rugby Pacific’s “almost” team so far this season.
With just one win from five rounds, the Sydneysiders are above only the Western Force and the Crusaders at the bottom of the table.
Yet, there’s not necessarily panic inside the camp.
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In their last three matches, they’ve lost by no more than three points.
At home against the Highlanders, they were 23-21 losers. A week later in Sydney they were pipped by the Blues in an agonising 12-10 defeat.
Then, the Fijian Drua won a golden point thriller with a drop-goal to win 39-36 after the Waratahs mounted a massive but ultimately fruitless comeback.
Their round six fixture will see them host the Melbourne Rebels on Friday at Allianz Stadium.
It’s there that All Blacks legend Jeff Wilson and Wallaby of 20 caps Morgan Turinui said the Waratahs must win.
“You think about their season and you put two more wins behind them, then they’re a different side,” said Wilson on Stan Sport’s The Call Up.
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“It looks different, it feels different, then you don’t have so many questions about where you’re sitting right now and ‘are you a contending team or are you a team trying to fight your way into the eight.’
“I look at this side and I see a lot of positive. For me, Jake Gordon is that guy that can lead this group and fight their way through some of these issues.
“They need to win this game, I won’t lie to you. If they don’t pick this one up then they really are in a really tight scrap.
“I really like the Waratahs. I really like that squad, I like some of the depth, they’ve got some rotation they can go to. It could look very different, it could feel very different, they need to win this game.”
The Rebels have two wins from five this season against the Force and Moana Pasifika.
Their season has been overshadowed by the chaos of financial woes, which have crept onto the field with Filipo Daugunu sitting out one game over unpaid bills.
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A loss against the Rebels would be a bitter blow for the Waratahs.
“I think the Tahs should win this,” said Turinui.
“You look at that team, the individuals, the Waratahs aren’t producing a performance equal to the sum of the talent and the parts that they are.
“If they do put it together, there is no excuse for the Waratahs to be out-enthused by a Rebels team that come to Sydney this Good Friday and ambush them.
“The Tahs should win this and win this well.”
Friday’s match gets underway at 7.35pm AEDT after the Crusaders host the Chiefs at 5.05pm AEDT.
WARATAHS vs REBELS in Sydney, Friday 7.35pm kickoff AEDT
WARATAHS (15-1): Max Jorgensen, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Izaia Perese, Joey Walton, Dylan Pietsch, Tane Edmed, Jake Gordon (c), Langi Gleeson, Charlie Gamble, Lachie Swinton, Hugh Sinclair, Jed Holloway, Tom Ross, Mahe Vailanu, Angus Bell
Reserves: Julian Heaven, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Miles Amatosero, Ned Hanigan, Jack Grant, Will Harrison, Lalakai Foketi
REBELS (15-1): Jake Strachan, Lachie Anderson, Filipo Daugunu, David Feliuai, Darby Lancaster, Carter Gordon, Ryan Louwrens, Rob Leota (c), Josh Kemeny, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angelo Smith, Sam Talakai, Jordan Uelese, Matt Gibbon
Reserves: Alex Mafi, Cabous Eloff, Taniela Tupou, Josh Canham, Maciu Nabolakasi, Vaiolini Ekuasi, James Tuttle, Nick Jooste
Referee: Angus Mabey
