When the siren sounded at Leichhardt Oval, there was no one more emotional than Waratahs flyhalf Tane Edmed.
Having gone through hell and back with the Waratahs last year, Edmed claimed the biggest scalp in Super Rugby, if not the world, in just his fifth start, guiding the Waratahs to the 24-21 victory over the Crusaders.
The 21-year-old did on his boyhood ground, where his father made his name for the Balmain Tigers, with the realisation he had just created his own legacy washing over him, unable, more unwilling, to hide his emotions in an interview with Stan Sport.
“I’ve grown up here my whole life in this area, my father played a lot of footy and I played my junior Rugby in this area at Blackmore Oval,” Edmed explained to reporters after the match.
“I’ve probably kicked thousands of balls at Leichhardt no 2, it was a pretty good feeling driving up with 30 friends and family in the stands and to be able to get a win here with these boys, we had such a tough last year, it was a bit too much emotions to handle.
“I’m not annoyed that I did it. It’s been a tough road for these boys and to get a win like that, for me, against the best team in the world in front of friends and family on a field I’ve grown up on is amazing and I was just lost for words.”
"He's a big sook, Tane, isn't he," coach Darren Coleman joked after the game, knowing Edmed was in earshot waiting to speak to reporters.
“But we were all fighting them (tears) back. You just don’t know when the emotional victories are going to come
“And that euphoria that you get straight after a final whistle in a game that you’re not sure you’re going to win or not, and you’ve worked bloody hard to win it, you should show emotion.”
Whilst some other coaches would look to try and damper celebrations and steady the focus for next week, Coleman couldn’t imagine it, encouraging the team to celebrate one of the finest victories in the club’s history.
After all, Edmed’s emotions sum up the tough journey the Waratahs have been on over the past 12 months, constantly ridden off after a winless season as they claim scalp after scalp.
“It’s a good change room to be in,” he added.
“Last year wasn’t overly fun but as we’ve said, we stuck by each other. There wasn’t one time the boys turned on each other, we stayed tight and I think that comes from being a young group that gets on really well.
“We stay really tight and now it’s so nice to see some good results and the boys enjoying it.”
