The NSW Waratahs’ travelling woes have hit a 28-year low with a sapping 28-14 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.
Persevering with their Jekyll and Hyde season, the Waratahs adopted up a rousing 21-14 victory over the table-topping Chiefs with a demoralising defeat to the last-placed Drua on Saturday.
Unbeaten in 5 residence video games, the Waratahs not solely stay winless on the street in 2025. Even worse, the Tahs have now suffered 9 consecutive away losses for the primary time since 1996-97.
Coach Dan McKellar had demanded a shift in mindset and for his prices to entrance up bodily after heavy defeats in New Zealand to the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.
However the NSW teaching employees as soon as once more lamented the Waratahs coming off second finest within the collision stakes because the Drua loved 66 per cent of first-half possession and 75 per cent territory to grab management at their Churchill Park fortress.
Already resting Wallabies forwards Taniela Tupou, Angus Bell and Rob Leota as a part of Rugby Australia’s rotation coverage, and nonetheless with out sidelined skipper Jake Gordon, the Waratahs weren’t helped by shedding three extra gamers to harm within the steamy circumstances.
Gordon’s deputising scrumhalf Teddy Wilson was changed at halftime after lock Ben Grant and flanker Charlie Gamble had limped off after 10 and 20 minutes respectively.
In opposition to the percentages, the depleted Waratahs produced a gritty second-half fightback to threaten to ship the match into golden-point “tremendous time”, as they did final yr after battling again from 16 factors behind.
Alas, the injury was completed within the first half because the Drua as soon as once more held on in such excessive warmth that the 2 sides had been afforded a drinks break on the hour-mark.
Including to their despair, the fifth-placed Waratahs conceded a penalty attempt after the fulltime siren to overlook out on a valuable bonus level because the Drua prolonged their unbeaten document at residence to eight matches.
“It’s a tricky place to play footy,” stated stand-in Waratahs captain Hugh Sinclair.
“We fell off too many tackles within the first half and gave them a head begin at halftime, and we simply couldn’t pull it again.
“However yeah, you’ve bought to win away from residence if you happen to’re going to go deep within the comp, and we haven’t completed that to date.”
After two early penalty targets to flyhalf Isaiah-Armstrong-Ravula helpd the Drua to a 6-0 lead, the hosts ran in two tries with NSW’s former England sevens star Jamie Adamson uncovered in defence on each events.
First, flanker Motikiai Murray break up Adamson and substitute lock Miles Amatosero to walk over within the twenty second minute.
Then prolific try-scorer Ponipate Loganimasi added to his tally within the shadows of halftime to present the hosts an 18-7 benefit after simply beating lame efforts from Adamson and his opposing winger Andrew Kellaway.
Little question impressed by having dozens of prolonged relations within the crowd, powerhouse back-rower Langi Gleeson saved the Tahs within the contest with their solely first-half attempt simply two minutes after changing Gamble.
When substitute hooker Julian Heaven burrowed over within the 56th minute, the Waratahs had diminished the deficit to seven factors.
However the guests had been unable to transform their momentum right into a drought-breaking away win forward of a bye subsequent week once they might fall out of the highest eight.
