Centre Henry O’Donnell and prop Isaac Kailea are the two NSW Waratahs players who will make their Super Rugby Pacific debut for the team when they play the Fijian Drua in Round 3 at Allianz Stadium, Moore Park on Friday night.
Their skill sets and energies may be focused on contrasting components in the NSW Waratahs team – with one being a tight forward and the other a midfield back.
But they are bound as one in a team that will not only set out to claim a back-to-back victory to add to their Round 1 win over the Highlanders (they had a bye round last week), but also use their performance in ‘Culture Week’ to showcase the unifying force of rugby with so many players coming from so many cultures.
The NSW Waratahs boast twenty-plus cultures. All will be on show on Friday night when they run on at Allianz Stadium to play the Fijian Drua at 7.35pm.
The game also features in a double-header with the NSW Waratahs Women playing the Fijian Drua at the same venue beforehand with a 5.05pm kick-off.
For O’Donnell, whose cultural ties are Australian and German and has come into the starting XV at outside-centre to replace injured Joey Walton (groin), it will be an extremely proud night, especially with his parents watching on.
They watched him train on Thursday at the NSW Waratahs’ ‘Captain’s Run’ at Allianz Stadium after presenting him with his first NSW Waratahs jersey before his teammates in the players’ room earlier, as did Kailea’s brother to Isaac.
With O’Donnell playing at outside centre, Lalakai Foketi who started there two weeks ago against the Highlanders, will move to the inside centre on Friday night.
O’Donnell’s debut is a high point in a rugby journey that began in Sydney where he was born and rose through his schoolboy ranks at St Ignatius College to Sydney University, Northern Suburbs and NSW's Waratahs Pathways program.
To progress his career when he felt there was a log-jam of talent ahead of him in NSW, O’Donnell, now twenty-two, moved to Perth in 2023 to join the Western Force where he played his first Super Rugby game against the Blues in 2024.
After four more games for the Force, he returned to Sydne to join the NSW Waratahs.
“Growing up in New South Wales, it was always a pretty good dream of mine to represent the Tahs,” O’Donnell said.
“I never got to play in Sydney in front of family and friends. So, to do so is pretty special.”
O’Donnell reflected on his career, recalling his early experiences of playing against NSW Waratahs teammate Joseph-Aukuso Suaallii who is out of Friday’s game due to a toe injury and being run over by the marquee player.
Their history against each other dates back to when they were in Under-11s.
"Joey's a freak talent," O'Donnell said. "I've played Joey since we were growing up.
“He was at King's. I was at Riverview. So, he was always that size and he was always running over the top of a few of us from that young age.
"It was me and [NSW Waratah] Jack Bowen. We were always playing ‘10’ and ‘12,’ and Joey was playing ‘10’ for the other team and he'd get the ball from 10 metres out and run over and score a try.
"We were about four-foot-five (inches) and he was six-three at that age so it was a bit different."
Meanwhile, for Kailea, whose is a half Tongan, half Chilean Melbourne born prop from the Rebels, his opportunity to play for the NSW Waratahs on Friday awaits.
With Kailea a Wallaby, his non-selection for Round 1 raised eyebrows, but it reflected the depth of the NSW Waratahs front row. He will play off the bench.
Kailea said he understood the decision of his omission from the team to play the Highlanders, even though he admitted he was disappointed.
“I guess that's just sort of the difficult job that the coaches have,” Kailea said.
“They can sort of have the option to sort of rotate all the props. There's a lot of talent there. So, wherever I can get a game, and I'm pretty happy.
“I was a bit disappointed, but I thought to myself, ‘I'm in a new environment. It's probably taken me a bit longer to get used to the team and the system. I know Tom [Lambert who was selected ahead of him] had a really good pre-season.”
Kailea said the key to accounting for the Drua on Friday night will be “physicality.”
“We've got to bring a bit of physicality. We know they're very dangerous around the contact area,” Kailea said.
“They can throw off-loads from anywhere. They can run and play from anywhere.
“I don't think they're the Drua of the last couple years. Their set piece has come a long way. I don't think they're set piece is that weakness anymore.
“But I think physicality is probably the main thing.”
- Loosehead Prop Angus Bell (Sydney University)
2. Hooker David Porecki (Manly)
3. Tighthead Prop Taniela Tupou (West Harbour)
4. Left Lock Hugh Sinclair (Northern Suburbs)
5. Right Lock Miles Amatosero (Eastern Suburbs)
6. Left Flanker Rob Leota (Eastern Suburbs)
7. Right Flanker Charlie Gamble (Eastern Suburbs)
8. Number Eight Langi Gleeson (Manly)
9. Scrumhalf Jake Gordon © (Sydney University)
10. Flyhalf Tane Edmed (Eastwood)
11. Left Wing Darby Lancaster (Eastern Suburbs)
12. Inside Centre Lalakai Foketi (Manly)
13. Outside Centre Henry O'Donnell (Northern Suburbs)
14. Right Wing Max Jorgensen (Randwick)
15. Fullback Andrew Kellaway (Randwick)
16. Reserve Mahe Vailanu (Gordon)
17. Reserve Isaac Kailea (Randwick)
18. Reserve Siosifa Amone (Northern Suburbs)
19. Reserve Ben Grant (Sydney University)
20. Reserve Jamie Adamson (Eastern Suburbs)
21. Reserve Teddy Wilson (Eastern Suburbs)
22. Reserve Jack Bowen (Eastern Suburbs)
23. Reserve Triston Reilly (Randwick)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (toe)
Joey Walton (groin)
Fergus Lee-Warner (foot)
Lucas Ripley (shoulder)
NSW Waratahs v The Fijian Drua
When: at 7.35 pm Friday, 28 February 2025
Where: Allianz Stadium, Moore Park
To purchase your tickets, click HERE
The game will be televised Live, ad-free and on-demand on Stan Sport – The Home of Rugby
