New South Wales Rugby

Match Day Q & A's

Question & Answer: Phil Waugh

FROM THE FRONT

Match: HSBC Waratahs v Sharks - Super 14 Semifinal
Date: May 24, 2008
Interview: BEN KIMBER
Images: Djuro Sen - NSWRU Media Unit & SMP Images & Getty Images

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THAT Phil Waugh has led the Waratahs to what many see as their their best ever chance to claim their first Super Rugby triumph is no coincidence.

In a year in which NSW Rugby has had its critics, Ewen McKenzie’s departure and last year’s disappointments not withstanding, captain Waugh has again led the way with his own single minded determination and dedication to the cause.

The team has admirably put aside all of the off-field distractions this year, and for Waugh to be remembered as the first man to lead NSW to summit provincial Rugby’s Everest would be a just reward for all he has given for his beloved Cambridge blue jersey.

Although he denies that it is now-or-never for the Waratahs, NSW’s careful mix of experience and youth has got them within striking distance of the title.

Waugh knows this squad has the chance to make history; something he might well mention in his pre-game address .

WARATAHS MATCH PROGRAM: You must be enjoying captaining this year more than your shortened stint in last year’s unsuccessful season?
PHIL WAUGH: It’s been a really enjoyable year. Obviously we’ve got a very strong squad, we had a pretty strong squad last year but we certainly didn’t get the potential out of it last year when we thought we had a chance as well. And this year we haven’t played our best football but we’ve been getting the results.

WMP: Bouncing back to finish second after last year must be a fairly proud achievement for the squad?
PW: I think so, but I think also we had a few critical injuries last year, like Dan Vickerman who was crucial for the forward pack. I think also the experience of last year helped us this year and helped the drive of a lot of guys, even the World Cup experience added in that way with the disappointment of a lot of the guys. That’s driven the more experienced and older guys to really do better.

WMP: Other players have said that this year has a touch of now or never with young players emerging and some veterans leaving, do you see it that way?
PW: I don’t think it’s a feeling of now or never, I think we’re actually building something with the young guys. Burgess, Beale, Carter, Rob Horne, Lachie Turner, Norton-Knight to a certain extent and Lote is here for another four years, so particularly in the backs it’s a start of combinations that will be around for a long time yet. So I don’t think it’s now or never it’s just an opportunity and we’re in the perfect position to have a crack at the title. While there will be a little bit of a changing of the guard when Ewen leaves and Vicks goes and things like that and you lose that experience, at the same time the youth, particularly in the backline, makes things exciting.

WMP: You mention a few young blokes there, are you feeling old?
PW: I feel a bit that way. I think Al Baxter is the oldest now and he left school only three years before I did so I’m starting to get at the wrong end.

WMP: As the captain, how do you take the team into the finals? Do things change?
PW: Things certainly change. It’s a high stakes game. There’s going to be big plays in this game and we have to make sure we win those big moments that shift play our way. I think it’s also about having the confidence to play how we’ve been playing all year and take risks when they’re worth taking and knowing that the team is behind you, and above all else having that confidence to back yourself and know the team is standing behind you.

WMP: You mentioned the youth in the side, how important will experience be in the semi?
PW: The most important thing is for those experienced guys to play well and lead everyone else. I think it makes it a lot easier for the less experienced guys to play when the older heads are showing the way and performing themselves. That’s critical.

WMP: How many NSW captains have you played under and how different are you as team leader?
PW: It’s showing my age when I say I’ve played under Jason Little, but you had him captaining from out at No.13, Burkey from fullback and No.13 and Whits from halfback and you had three different personalities there, so I don’t know how I’d describe myself in comparison, you’re probably best off asking other people. The important thing for me is to perform well and hopefully have a good influence on the other guys, but it’s hard to compare.

WMP: Do you talk more than you used to?
PW: I certainly talk a lot more than I have in the past and I think with the confidence to lead you feel more comfortable in that position and more comfortable talking. The strategic side of things has been good this year and I’m certainly more involved in that with directing the team.

WMP: Do you give a pre-game address?
PW: Yeah, I always speak at the team meeting before the game, so in that way I’ve taken on more of a speaking role. It’s important to get the balance right I think. The strategy is important but there’s more than that and when appropriate it’s good to draw on different experiences to motivate guys for specific games. I think ahead of the semi I don’t think I’ll need to do too much though, hopefully the guys shouldn’t need too much motivation.

WMP: Do any of the guys have superstitions?
PW: Not too many. Just Rocky Elsom who cleans his teeth before he runs out. He must be worried that when he sprays the ref he might upset him a bit, I don’t know. There’s also Dave Lyons with his G-String.

WMP: Enough said. How is the team handling the departure of Ewen McKenzie?
PW: Obviously with anyone you’ve worked with for a while you’re thankful for their experience around the team, and if we lose it’s his last game for the team so there’s a lot of emotion there. And from a team point of view we said we want to have a good year, and the management is very much a part of that.

WMP: There was plenty of off field drama around the coaching position and other factors this year, you must be pleased the team has performed regardless?
PW: We’ve always said, as a team all the way through, that it’s about 2008, and 2009 and beyond is irrelevant. It’s always been about this season and obviously there was a lot of negative press at the start of the year, but in terms of how the team reacted they’ve been absolutely superb in their application to performance. So while there’ been a fair bit going on on the peripheries it’s been a tight knit group in the team.

WMP: Now you face the Sharks in the semi, does your previous win in round 11 give you confidence?
PW: I think you have to take some confidence out of it. Same ground, relatively the same teams though with a couple of changed combinations, so it is relevant. But a lot can change in a month, not the least of which is there is a lot more on the line so we’ll know they’ll turn up to play. I actually couldn’t care who we play. Playing at home makes a difference for us, it’s the field we train on every day, familiar surroundings, so the guys will get plenty of confidence out of that and hopefully the crowd gets right behind us.