Joseph Suaalii, just missing a try against the Highlanders, returns to the Waratahs against Hurricanes. Photo: AAP/PHOTOSPORT
The Waratahs will look to shrug off their dire record in New Zealand and become the third Australian team to win here this season when they kick off the seventh round of Super Rugby Pacific against the Hurricanes tonight.
Bolstered by former Melbourne Rebels players after the collapse of Australia's fifth team, the Sydney-based Waratahs have motored to a 4-1 start under new coach Dan McKellar, doubling their win count from a miserable 2024 season.
However, they lost their only match away from home this season and have yet to be tested in New Zealand, where they have lost their last seven.
A breakthrough in Wellington would be a watershed moment for the Waratahs and silence any doubts about Australia's competitiveness in the provincial competition.
The ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds have already shown the Waratahs how to win "across the ditch" by prevailing over the Auckland Blues and Otago Highlanders respectively.
McKellar's team will need to break a seven-match losing streak to the eighth-placed Hurricanes a week after ending a run of 13 defeats to the Brumbies.
"The key for us is consistency -- backing up a strong performance against a team that most people didn't think we'd beat and doing it again," McKellar said.
"If we bring high effort, physicality, and intensity, we back ourselves against any team."
Fourth in the table, the Waratahs will be reinforced by marquee recruit Joseph Suaalii, who slots straight into the starting 15 after being sidelined since round one with a toe injury.
The rugby league convert made a winning Super Rugby debut at fullback against the Highlanders but will play his second match in the midfield behind captain Joey Walton.
Max Jorgensen, who has starred for the Waratahs in Suaalii's absence, will start at fullback, shifting over from the wing to replace the rested Andrew Kellaway.
While the Waratahs hunt respect in New Zealand, the Crusaders (4-1) brought plenty home to Christchurch after thrashing the defending champion Blues at Eden Park.
Rob Penney's team are second and can leapfrog the Waikato Chiefs with victory over the struggling Moana Pasifika on Saturday.
The Chiefs (5-1), along with the ninth-placed Blues and 10th-placed Fijian Drua, have a bye week.
Moana Pasifika will hope captain Ardie Savea's return from injury can inspire them to a second win and lift them off the bottom of the table.
Depending on the Crusaders result, the third-placed Queensland Reds (4-1) can also take top spot if they win their home match against sixth-placed Western Force on Saturday.
The Reds, who beat the Force 28-24 away in round three, are missing their first-choice back row with Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight rested, and Liam Wright injured.
But Les Kiss's team are in good spirits after destroying the Highlanders' scrum in their first win in Dunedin in 12 years.
"We are very happy with how our scrum is going," said Kiss, who has rewarded props Alex Hodgman and Massimo de Lutiis with a promotion.
"Both Alex and 'Mass' had a great impact off the bench against the Highlanders and get their chance to start against the Force."
The fifth-placed Brumbies (3-3) will look to rebound from their defeat by the Waratahs with a home win over Jamie Joseph's inconsistent Highlanders (2-3) in the late match on Friday.
- Reuters
