As the Chiefs and Sharks prepare to battle it out in the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby final, we look back at the HSBC Waratahs season and the highs and lows that defined it....
The 2012 season was greeted with expectation and promise. A strong squad, rich in Test experience and buoyed by the enthusiasm of talented youth. A new head coach and the hunger to rise to a new challenge.
For 75 minutes of the season opener against arch-rivals the Queensland Reds there were plenty of promising signs, with a number of standout performances including a man of the match performance from debutant halfback Sarel Pretorius. Denied victory by a last gasp Reds’ try that took the final score to 25-21, HSBC Waratahs secured their first win the following week, scoring three first half tries to earn a physical 19-35 away win over the Melbourne Rebels.
But after a one-point away loss to the Highlanders in week three and another single-point defeat at the hands of the Force, this time in Sydney, it was clear that that injuries would again have a significant impact on the HSBC Waratahs’ season. Already on the injured list before round one, Dan Vickerman, Rocky Elsom, Drew Mitchell, Lachie Turner and Berrick Barnes (although the latter’s was thankfully shortlived) would soon be joined by Pat McCutcheon and Damien Fitzpatrick.
With so much experience forced to watch from the sidelines, it was time for youth to step forward. The absence of Barnes created an opportunity for Sevens’ star Bernard Foley, whose incisive runs from fullback often ignited the backline. Against the Sharks in round five, a second halfback Brendan McKibbin celebrated his run-on debut by earning the man of the match award and scoring 17 points to help the HSBC Waratahs to an inspiring 34-30 team victory.
A loss against the Chiefs (30-13) in Hamilton was reversed two weeks later, as NSW held on for a 23-18 away victory over the Western Force. The victory saw 20-year-old winger Tom Kingston find the try line for a fourth consecutive match and marked another outstanding performance from in-form flanker Dave Dennis.
Combined with the consistency of some of the group’s leaders, notably the front row trio of stand in captain Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Sekope Kepu and talisman No. 8 Wycliff Palu, it was with a degree of optimism that the squad finally welcomed back to the field, albeit from the bench, its captain Rocky Elsom.
The round nine victory over the Rebels saw them lift the Weary Dunlop Shield and brought them crucial back to back victories as they prepared for a vital clash against tournament favourites, the Crusaders. The HSBC Waratahs pulled out their most impressive display of the season but eventually fell just short of a physical and ruthless Crusaders side by 33-37. Aside from another bonus point, their fourth in four losses, there was plenty for the record 30,000-strong Allianz Stadium crowd to appreciate, including the long-awaited return of afternoon rugby. “It was a Test match contest,” said Foley afterwards, “we’re definitely disappointed but also pretty inspired with what we put out there tonight. We were playing a very good side.”
But what no-one could have predicted was how such inspiration would turn to desperation. Having slumped to a disappointing 23-6 defeat to the top-of-the conference Brumbies in Canberra, a gut-wrenching 24-27 home loss to the Bulls followed. Two more losses to the Stormers (13-19) and Cheetahs (34-35) brought further disappointment. Although the return to action after a horror run of injuries for Drew Mitchell brought a glimmer of hope, it was extinguished a week later, when the team slumped to a sixth successive defeat to the Hurricanes (33-12).
A change of format, in the form or a three-week Test window and a bye week brought some respite and heralded the return to action of experienced Wallaby wing Lachie Turner and promising young prop Paddy Ryan. Despite proudly providing the biggest Wallaby contingent of all the states, for the Wallabies’ three Test whitewash over Wales, any hopes for an end of season rally were undone by errors in execution and decision making that gifted the Brumbies (15-19) and then the Reds (32-16) end of season victories.
The losses left the HSBC Waratahs to finish 11th on the overall ladder with a disappointing eight straight losses and just four wins from 16 matches.
After praising his squad for fighting until the end, Foley admitted that the number of close losses (eight defeats by seven points or less) did not disguise the improvements that need to be made, warning that more sacrifice was necessary. “One of the areas I was most pleased about was, in a season like this when you don’t win the games that you would want to win, that the team doesn’t fracture and that it keeps fighting.
“No-one should think that because the margins in a number of our games have been very fine, that just a little bit more will be enough. We shouldn’t doubt that the distance to where we are and where we need to go will require significant sacrifice and we all need to embrace that.”
But 2012 was not all bad news. The Wallabies training squad for the inaugural Rugby Championship included 13 HSBC Waratahs, the largest contingent of NSW players to date, with another, Wycliff Palu, only omitted through injury.
Although immensely proud of the achievements of all his players, particularly the Wallaby newcomers, Foley admitted that the size of his growing Wallaby contingent would pose challenges for the forthcoming pre-season.
“The guys who we had in pre-Christmas such as Kane Douglas, Bernard Foley, Tom Kingston and Paddy Ryan for example have all performed very well and Dave Dennis is another one who trained through that pre-Christmas period.
“We know from this year’s experience that somebody starting after five weeks of doing nothing in mid-January and then expecting to play well in four weeks time won’t work,” he said. “We have to challenge those internationals returning to the program to be more ready that we were at the beginning of this season.”
From players to supporters, the overriding memory from the 2012 season will undoubtedly be one of disappointment. But next season brings a new opportunity and the change to put the learnings of this year to good use. Smooth seas do not make for skilful sailors and as well as a growing core of internationals and a squad that now boasts a strong contingent of talented youth – who have gained invaluable experience from these past 12 months - next year will also see several new faces added to the squad. With a full six months of preparation ahead, who knows what could unfold in 2013.