Rugby - Waratahs find the going tough
The Waratahs, semi-finalists last year, were beaten 23-15 by the Jaguares in Sydney on Saturday, virtually ending their chances of making the Super Rugby quarter-finals.
The New South Wales Waratahs hold only a slim mathematical chance of advancing to the Super Rugby playoffs, but the players are also aware they could be playing for places in Australia's Rugby World Cup squad, according to fullback Kurtley Beale.
The Sydney-based side are third in the Australian conference on 26 points, but their loss enabled the ACT Brumbies (34) and Melbourne Rebels (33) an opportunity to open up a gap with three games remaining.
The Brumbies beat the Bulls 22-10, while the Rebels thrashed the Sunwolves 52-7 in Tokyo and are ranked third and fifth respectively on the overall table, with the conference winners guaranteed a top-three seeding.
The Waratahs are 11th on the overall table and face the Rebels, Brumbies and Otago Highlanders in their final three games.
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson had said after the loss to the Jaguares that his side's chances of making the playoffs were “very difficult” but Beale felt there was still hope.
“It's really important for us to not be down,” Beale told reporters of the remaining matches in their season. “They are all grand final matches and you have to be hopeful at this stage of the season.
“Our season is not at the end. We play another three games, if get those, we have got to be hopeful.”
Those hopes go through Melbourne on Friday where Beale is likely to be matched up against Dane Haylett-Petty in a showdown for the vacant fullback role in the national side after Israel Folau had his contract terminated on May 17.
-NAMPA/AFP
The Sydney-based side are third in the Australian conference on 26 points, but their loss enabled the ACT Brumbies (34) and Melbourne Rebels (33) an opportunity to open up a gap with three games remaining.
The Brumbies beat the Bulls 22-10, while the Rebels thrashed the Sunwolves 52-7 in Tokyo and are ranked third and fifth respectively on the overall table, with the conference winners guaranteed a top-three seeding.
The Waratahs are 11th on the overall table and face the Rebels, Brumbies and Otago Highlanders in their final three games.
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson had said after the loss to the Jaguares that his side's chances of making the playoffs were “very difficult” but Beale felt there was still hope.
“It's really important for us to not be down,” Beale told reporters of the remaining matches in their season. “They are all grand final matches and you have to be hopeful at this stage of the season.
“Our season is not at the end. We play another three games, if get those, we have got to be hopeful.”
Those hopes go through Melbourne on Friday where Beale is likely to be matched up against Dane Haylett-Petty in a showdown for the vacant fullback role in the national side after Israel Folau had his contract terminated on May 17.
-NAMPA/AFP
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