NSW Waratahs captain Hugh Sinclair Sinclair recognises the scale of the task ahead for his side as it prepares to take on Moana Pasifika at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday afternoon.
However, the lock is confident the NSW Waratahs are ready to respond following their disappointing showing in Wellington last week where the Hurricanes beat them 57-12.
Speaking after the NSW Waratah's 'Captain's Run' in Auckland on Friday, Sinclair said the team faced some hard truths in their Monday review session.
“Yeah, look, Monday’s review was pretty grim, as expected,” Sinclair admitted.
“To be fair, we didn’t really turn up in Wellington.
"You can’t play 30-odd good minutes and expect to get a result in New Zealand. We weren’t up to the standard.”
Sinclair said NSW Waratahs Head Coach Dan McKellar was clear and uncompromising in the assessment.
“Dan was pretty firm. He showed us some pictures of our physicality and effort plays that just weren’t up to scratch,” Sinclair said.
“It wasn’t pleasant viewing, but it needed to be seen.”
Since then, Sinclair said the response at training has been sharp and on point.
“It’s been good – a normal training week with a clear edge to it,” Sinclair said.
“We had a big session Tuesday, flew out [Thursday] night, and the boys are ready to go.”
Against a Moana Pasifika side that stunned the Crusaders with a 45-point demolition in Christchurch, Sinclair knows the NSW Waratahs face a contest.
“You’ve got to be a serious side to do what they did to the Crusaders,” Sinclair said.
“They’ve got big bodies, they’re powerful, and they love their offload game.
“We’ve got to meet that physical challenge, take away their momentum, and put real pressure on their backs.”
Sinclair pinpointed key threats in the Moana Pasifika line-up, including in-form flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini, an Australian-born Tongan. His rise from Sydney and English club rugby led to him playing for Tonga in the 2023 Rugby World Cup and becoming one of the standout halves in Super Rugby Pacific 2025.
“It’s a cool story, isn’t it?” Sinclair said.
“He does all the little things well – passes sharp, kicks well, manages the game.
"Hopefully, he’s not player of the round again this week!”
Adding to Moana Pasifika’s arsenal is the inclusion of legendary All Black flanker Ardie Savea who Sinclair described as “arguably the best in the world”.
“Someone like Ardie doesn’t just lift the team on the field – you can see he’s brought real belief to that group off the field too,” Sinclair said.
“He chose them over the Hurricanes and you can see the impact.
"It’s good for the game, good for the comp – but not so great when you have to play against him!”
Moana Pasifika has proved a challenging opponent for the NSW Waratahs in recent years, and Sinclair acknowledged the need to adapt to their unique style.
“They’ve had the wood on us at times – it’s their physicality, their strength, their energy,” Sinclair said. “But we feel we’re better prepared this time.”
Defensive commitment has been a major theme heading into this clash, particularly after some uncharacteristic lapses last weekend.
“They’ve got strong, powerful carriers,” Sinclair said.
“You’ve got to chop them down – and do it for eighty minutes.
“It’s about winning those collisions, winning the breakdowns, and giving our backs like ‘Joey’ (Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii) some clean ball to work with.”
The NSW Waratahs have turned Allianz Stadium into a fortress this season, but winning on the road has so far proved elusive.
Sinclair is under no illusions about the importance of changing that.
“Away wins are massive if you want to climb the ladder,” he said.
“We’re still in a good spot, but these next few weeks are huge for us. Winning away is a box we need to tick.”
Despite the daunting task, Sinclair remains upbeat and determined, saying: “It’s going to be a hell of a challenge – but we’re up for it.”
When: 12.05 pm (AEDT) Saturday 5 April 2025
Where: North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
The game will be televised LIVE on Stan Sport - The Home of Rugby
