The NSW Waratahs are unchanged for Friday night’s enormous Round 15 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific clash against rivals the ACT Brumbies at Allianz Stadium (7.35pm kick-off AEST).
The only change to the squad is Joey Walton coming into the 23 jersey, having recovered from a neck injury that has ruled him out for the last two games.
Friday night will prove crucial to both teams’ hopes of reaching finals. The Waratahs (seventh – 26 points) will jump ahead of the Brumbies (fifth – 29 points) into the top six should they win (with or without a bonus point) and should they prevent their opposition from getting a losing bonus point. Following this weekend’s fixtures, there is just one more round of the regular season, with the Waratahs travelling to the Western Force and the Brumbies hosting Moana Pasifika.
Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar explained how big a game Friday night will be and why he has kept the same team for this make or break clash.
“Everyone at this club knows that this is a big game and an important week,” McKellar said.
“We've spoken in the past about how some games are just different, the Waratahs against the Brumbies is one of those weeks on any given week, but certainly when we're both chasing the same prize, it adds to that, which is great.
“So hopefully there's a good crowd there on Friday night and there's plenty of interest around the game.
“The retention of the starting line-up comes down to performance. A lot of guys who have got an opportunity in Suva have had to be really patient and chip away, play Shute Shield and train in the non-23 group.
“When you give players an opportunity, you just want them to take it. I thought a number of guys did that last weekend.”
The front-row is unchanged following last weekend’s impressive performance, which was the Waratahs’ first-ever win in Fiji, with Jack Barrett, Ioane Moananu and Dan Botha all named. After Moananu’s two tries last weekend, he is now on five for the season, only behind Max Jorgensen (seven) and Sid Harvey (six) for the Waratahs.
Matt Philip returned last weekend and again partners Miles Amatosero in the second-row, the combination there in nine of our 12 games so far this season.
Clem Halaholo, Charlie Gamble and Angus Scott-Young retain their places in the back-row, with Scott-Young (16) and Halaholo (13) topping our tackle charts last weekend.
Childhood friends and Easts teammates Teddy Wilson and Jack Bowen again form the halves partnership after excelling against the Fijian Drua. Wilson was everywhere, registering a try, a line break and six carries for 49m, while Bowen looked lively on his first start of the season.
Lawson Creighton and Triston Reilly form the centre partnership once again after showing great promise last weekend, with Creighton beating five defenders and providing a try assist for Moananu.
The back three remains the same, with Wallaby Harry Potter scoring a try in the fifth minute on Saturday on his first start since Round 6. Harvey is one of the form players in the competition, having been directly involved in seven tries in his last seven Super Rugby Pacific matches, while Jorgensen is again selected at full-back after a try and 99m carried last Saturday.
The bench again includes hooker Oniti Finau, who made his debut last weekend, as well as Ben Grant and Michael McDonald, who made their first appearances of the season.
The Waratahs have won two of their last three Super Rugby Pacific matches against the Brumbies, including a 30-28 victory at GIO Stadium when the teams met earlier in the season, the club’s first in Canberra since 2018. We will be aiming for consecutive wins against the Brumbies for the first time since May 2015.
The fixture also forms part of Super Rugby's Kids Round, which aims to celebrate and inspire the younger generations of rugby fans.
You can buy tickets for this huge match against the Waratahs and Brumbies at Allianz Stadium on Friday night here.
NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies
Round 15 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific, Friday 22 May, 7.35pm kick-off AEST
Allianz Stadium, 40/44 Driver Ave, Moore Park, NSW 2021
Starting XV:
- Jack Barrett
- Ioane Moananu
- Dan Botha
- Matt Philip ©
- Miles Amatosero
- Clem Halaholo
- Charlie Gamble
- Angus Scott-Young
- Teddy Wilson
- Jack Bowen
- Sid Harvey
- Lawson Creighton
- Triston Reilly
- Harry Potter
- Max Jorgensen
Replacements:
16. Oniti Finau
17. Isaac Kailea
18. Apolosi Ranawai
19. Ben Grant
20. Jamie Adamson
21. Michael McDonald
22. Jack Debreczeni
23. Joey Walton
Injury list:
- Angus Blyth - ankle injury
- Ethan Dobbins – foot
- Folau Faingaa – knee
- Jake Gordon - illness
- Tom Lambert – knee
- Pete Samu – knee
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – hamstring tightness
