The NSW Waratahs have named their team to face the Blues in Round 4 of the Super Rugby Pacific this Saturday at 7:35pm AEDT at Allianz Stadium.
An unfortunate string of injuries has forced Waratahs Head Coach Darren Coleman to make several changes to the side that went down narrowly to the Highlanders in Round 3.
Star fullback Max Jorgensen has likely succumbed to a niggling hip injury which will see Mark Nawaqanitawase wear the Number 15 jersey on Saturday.
After a brilliant display in his first starting opportunity last week, Triston Reilly will retain his place on one wing, whilst Dylan Pietsch returns from an eye injury on the other flank.
In the forwards, Julian Heaven will start his first-ever Super Rugby Pacific match at hooker with David Porecki, Mahe Vailanu, and Theo Fourie all unavailable due to injury.
The reserve hooker will be Jay Fonokalafi, a 27-year-old who was scouted from the Two Blues during the 2023 Shute Shield season. Fonokalafi received his long-awaited Super Rugby Pacific call-up from Coleman from a building site midweek.
Heaven and Fonokalafi will pack down in a reshaped front row of Hayden Thompson-Stringer and Harry Johson-Holmes. Thompson-Stringer will also be starting in his first Super Rugby Pacific match, with Angus Bell looking to provide a noticeable impact from the reserves to close out the game, alongside experienced lock Hugh Sinclair.
In a boost for NSW, Lachlan Swinton will return for his first Super Rugby Pacific game in 2024, whilst Jack Grant has been rewarded for his impressive performance in the trial against Eastwood to edge out Teddy Wilson as the back-up halfback. Wilson will subsequently receive valuable game time in the Waratahs A match against the Brumbies Runners on Saturday.
The Waratahs will be hoping for a big crowd at Allianz Stadium as they tackle a strong Blues outfit.
“It was awesome to be back at Allianz last week and hopefully we can build on that crowd this Saturday,” Triston Reilly said. “The support of our fans has such a big impact on us as players and you could really feel their support as the game went down to the wire against the Highlanders.”
The Blues boast a fearsome forward pack and openside flanker Charlie Gamble is under no illusions about the importance of taming them.
‘‘They’ve got an unreal back row, an All Black-quality back row,” Gamble said. “We’ve just got to fight fire with fire. We feel like we’ve got a quality back row ourselves. The only thing with the Blues being a big pack is you’ve just got to take it to them.
‘‘It was obviously unfortunate how we lost at the end, but we were in the fight the whole 80 minutes against the Highlanders so there’s lots of positives we can take out of it.”
The Waratahs, in collaboration with Principal Partner NRI, will be wearing an eye-catching pink jersey, which is designed to raise awareness for breast cancer and much-needed funds for the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation. After the game, the match-worn jerseys will be auctioned off online with all proceeds to be donated to the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation.
The jerseys won’t be available for retail sale, which makes them an even more enticing piece of Waratahs memorabilia, whilst also supporting a worthwhile cause. Bid for a jersey here.
Position
1. Loosehead Prop
2. Hooker
3. Tighthead Prop
4. Left Lock
5. Right Lock
6. Left Flanker
7. Right Flanker
8. Number 8
9. Scrumhalf
10. Flyhalf
11. Left Wing
12. Inside Centre
13. Outside Centre
14. Right Wing
15. Fullback
16. Reserve
17. Reserve
18. Reserve
19. Reserve
20. Reserve
21. Reserve
22. Reserve
23. Reserve
Name
Hayden Thompson-Stringer (Manly)
Julian Heaven (Eastern Suburbs)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (Sydney University)
Jed Holloway (Southern Districts)
Fergus Lee-Warner (Eastern Suburbs)
Ned Hanigan (Randwick)
Charlie Gamble (Eastern Suburbs)
Langi Gleeson (Manly)
Jake Gordon © (Sydney University)
Tane Edmed (Eastwood)
Dylan Pietsch (Randwick)
Joey Walton (Gordon)
Izaia Perese (Randwick)
Triston Reilly (Randwick)
Mark Nawaqanitawase (Eastwood)
Jay Fonokalafi (Gordon) *
Angus Bell (Sydney University)
Tom Ross (Northern Suburbs)
Miles Amatosero (Eastern Suburbs)
Hugh Sinclair (Northern Suburbs)
Lachlan Swinton (Sydney University)
Jack Grant (Eastern Suburbs)
Harry Wilson (Eastern Suburbs)
* Denotes potential Super Rugby debut.
Players unavailable for selection:
- David Porecki - Achillies (TBC)
- Thomas Lambert - Knee (Season)
- Archer Holz - Shoulder (Round 8)
- Mesu Kunavula – Knee (Season)
- Lalakai Foketi - Neck (Round 5+)
- Max Jorgensen - Hip (Round 5)
- Mahe Vailanu - Concussion (Round 5+)
- Daniel Botha - Concussion and neck (Round 5+)
- Theo Fourie - Concussion (Round 5+)
Match Details
Super Rugby Pacific - Round 4: NSW Waratahs v Blues.
Saturday March 16 at Allianz Stadium.
Kick-off 7:35pm AEDT.
Tickets are available here.
The match will be broadcast live on Channel 9 and Stan.
