2019 New South Wales Waratahs season

New South Wales Waratahs

2019 season
Coach	Daryl Gibson
Chairman	Roger Davis
Stadium	Brookvale Oval, Brookvale Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta
Super Rugby	12th
Finals	Did not qualify
Record	P: 16; 6–10–0
Top try scorer	League: Curtis Rona (6 tries)
Top points scorer	League: Bernard Foley (137 points)
Highest home attendance	17,111 v Hurricanes (16 February)
Lowest home attendance	10,114 v Rebels (27 April)
Average home attendance	11,569[note 1]
Home colours Away colours
← 2018 2020 →

The 2019 New South Wales Waratahs season was the club's 23rd season since the inception of the Super Rugby in 1996.

Squad

Coaching and management

Title	Name
Head coach	Daryl Gibson
Assistant, attack and backs coach	Chris Malone
Forwards and assistant coach	Simon Cron

Current squad

For player movements before and during the 2019 season, see List of 2018–19 Super Rugby transfers § Waratahs.

The squad for the 2019 season:^[2]

Waratahs Super Rugby squad
Props Angus Bell Harry Johnson-Holmes Sekope Kepu Rory O'Connor Tom Robertson Chris Talakai Shambeckler Vui Cody Walker Hookers Damien Fitzpatrick Tolu Latu JP Sauni Andrew Tuala Locks Ned Hanigan Will Harris Ryan McCauley Le Roux Roets Rob Simmons Tom Staniforth Jeremy Williams	Loose forwards Jack Dempsey BJ Edwards Jed Holloway Michael Hooper (c) Will Miller Hugh Sinclair Rory Suttor Lachlan Swinton Patrick Tafa Michael Wells Scrum-halves Jake Gordon Nick Phipps Mitch Short Fly-halves Bernard Foley Will Harrison Mack Mason	Centres Kurtley Beale Lalakai Foketi Alex Newsome Wingers Adam Ashley-Cooper Cameron Clark Ben Donaldson John Folau James Ramm Curtis Rona Fullbacks Israel Folau Karmichael Hunt
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped and ^ST indicated short-term cover.

Transfers

See also: List of 2018–19 Super Rugby transfers § Waratahs

In: Player Position Previous club Notes Adam Ashley-Cooper Wing Kobelco Steelers Andrew Tuala Hooker Melbourne Rising Angus Bell Prop Newington College Ben Donaldson Wing Sydney Rays BJ Edwards Flanker Canberra Vikings Chris Talakai Prop New South Wales Country Eagles Hugh Sinclair Flanker Sydney Rays James Ramm Wing Sydney Rays Jeremy Williams Lock Scots College John Folau Wing Sydney Rays Karmichael Hunt Fullback Queensland Reds (Super Rugby) Le Roux Roets Lock Pumas Patrick Tafa Number 8 New South Wales Country Eagles Rory O'Connor Prop Sydney Rays Rory Suttor Flanker New South Wales Country Eagles Will Harris Lock Scots College Will Harrison Fly-half Sydney Rays

Out: Player Position Club Notes Andrew Kellaway Wing Northampton Saints Brad Wilkin Flanker Melbourne Rebels (Super Rugby) Bryce Hegarty Fly-half Queensland Reds (Super Rugby) Hugh Roach Hooker Melbourne Rebels (Super Rugby) Irae Simone Centre Brumbies (Super Rugby) Kalivati Tawake Prop Biarritz Kelly Meafua Flanker Béziers Maclean Jones Number 8 Sydney Rays Matt Sandell Prop Sydney Rays Michael Snowden Scrum-half retired Nick Duffy Scrum-half Sydney Rays Nick Palmer Lock Sydney Rays Paddy Ryan Prop New South Wales Country Eagles Taqele Naiyaravoro Wing Northampton Saints

Season summary

Main article: List of 2019 Super Rugby matches

Season results

Rnd	Date & local time		Team	Score	Venue	Attendance	Ref.
1	Saturday, 16 February (7:45 pm)	H	Hurricanes	19–20	Brookvale Oval, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	17,111	[3][4]
2	Saturday, 23 February (1:15 pm)	A	Sunwolves	30–31	Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	14,499	[5][6]
3	Bye
4	Saturday, 9 March (7:45 pm)	H	Reds	28–17	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	15,681	[7][8]
5	Friday, 15 March (7:45 pm)	A	Brumbies	19–13	GIO Stadium, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia	12,112	[9][10]
6	Saturday, 23 March (7:45 pm)	H	Crusaders	20–12	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia		[11][12]
7	Friday, 29 March (7:45 pm)	H	Sunwolves	29–31	McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia	12,621	[13][14]
8	Saturday, 6 April (7:35 pm)	A	Blues	32–29	Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand		[15][16]
9	Bye
10	Saturday, 20 April (7:45 pm)	H	Rebels	23–20	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	10,114	[17][18]
11	Saturday, 27 April (7:45 pm)	H	Sharks	15–23	Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	10,605	[19][20]
12	Saturday, 4 May (3:05 pm)	A	Bulls	28–21	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa	7,483	[21][22]
13	Saturday, 11 May (3:05 pm)	A	Lions	29–28	Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa		[23][24]
14	Saturday, 18 May (7:45 pm)	A	Reds	32–40	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia	12,236	[25][26]
15	Saturday, 25 May (7:45 pm)	H	Jaguares	15–23	Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	13,885	[27][28]
16	Friday, 31 May (7:45 pm)	A	Rebels	15–20	AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia		[29][30]
17	Saturday, 8 June (7:45 pm)	H	Brumbies	24–35	Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia		[31]
18	Friday, 13 July (7:35 pm)	A	Highlanders	49–12	Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill, New Zealand		[32]

Standings

Australian conference
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
2	Rebels	16	7	0	9	393	465	–72	56	61	3	3	34
3	Waratahs	16	6	0	10	367	415	–48	46	54	0	6	30
4	Reds	16	6	0	10	385	438	–53	50	59	1	3	28

Overall standings
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
11	Rebels	16	7	0	9	393	465	–72	56	61	3	3	34
12	Waratahs	16	6	0	10	367	415	–48	46	54	0	6	30
13	Blues	16	5	1	10	347	369	−22	45	47	2	6	30

Statistics

Top point scorer No. Player Pos. Tries Pen Con Pts 1 Bernard Foley Fly-half 3 28 22 137 2 Curtis Rona Wing 6 0 0 30 3 Alex Newsome Centre 5 0 0 25 4 Kurtley Beale Centre 4 1 0 22 5 Israel Folau Fullback 4 0 0 20 Nick Phipps Scrum-half 7 Michael Hooper Flanker 3 0 0 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper Centre 9 Jake Gordon Scrum-half 2 0 0 10 Cameron Clark Wing Michael Wells Flanker

Top try scorer No. Player Pos. Tries 1 Curtis Rona Wing 6 2 Alex Newsome Centre 5 3 Israel Folau Fullback 4 Kurtley Beale Centre Nick Phipps Scrum-half 6 Bernard Foley Fly-half 3 Michael Hooper Flanker Adam Ashley-Cooper Centre 9 Jake Gordon Scrum-half 2 Cameron Clark Wing Michael Wells Flanker

Notes

1. In round six of the Super Rugby season the Waratahs played the Crusaders at the SCG. Unfortunately the match attendance is yet to be confirmed. Thus, the average home attendance statistics for the Waratahs does not include this match.

References

1. Watch, Rugby Shirt (16 December 2018). "NEWS: New South Wales Waratahs reveal Super Rugby 2019 jerseys". Rugby Shirt Watch. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
2. "NSW Waratahs confirm 2019 squad" (Press release). NSW Waratahs. 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
3. "Hurricanes scrape through as Foley crumbles under pressure". SANZAAR. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
4. Richardson, Daniel (16 February 2019). "2019 Super Rugby: Hurricanes hang on to beat Waratahs". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
5. "Waratahs take win against a much improved Sunwolves". SANZAAR. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
6. "Waratahs hold off Sunwolves". The Japan Times. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
7. "Waratahs hold off hard-working Reds in Sydney". SANZAAR. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
8. Decent, Tom (9 March 2019). "Gritty Waratahs outmuscle Reds to extend winning streak to 10". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
9. "Brumbies defeat lacklustre Waratahs". SANZAAR. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
10. Pandaram, Jamie (15 March 2019). "Folau Fainga'a makes strong case as Brumbies expose Waratahs". The Australian. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
11. "Waratahs prevail in tough conditions". SANZAAR. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
12. "Waratahs stun Crusaders in Super Rugby titleholders' first outing since Christchurch attacks". ABC. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
13. "Tenacious Sunwolves edge Waratahs". SANZAAR. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
14. "New South Wales Waratahs vs Sunwolves – Report". ESPN. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
15. "Blues hold off valiant Waratahs at Eden Park". SANZAAR. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
16. "Play-by-play: Blues v Waratahs - Super Rugby week eight". Stuff.co.nz. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
17. "Rebels pays dearly for poor discipline". SANZAAR. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
18. Decent, Tom (20 April 2019). "Foley outclasses Quade as Tahs put Folau drama aside to beat Rebels". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
19. "Sharks pounce on ill-disciplined Waratahs". SANZAAR. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
20. "Sharks back to winning ways as Waratahs see red". Sport24. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
21. "Bulls overcome resilient Waratahs". SANZAAR. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
22. "Bulls survive Waratahs scare to go top of SA conference". Sport24. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
23. "Lions edge Waratahs in see-saw Ellis Park battle". SANZAAR. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
24. van der Westhuyzen, Jacques (11 May 2019). "WATCH: Reynolds keeps his cool to boot error-strewn Lions to victory". IOL. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
25. "Waratahs edge Reds in Brisbane thriller". SANZAAR. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
26. Smith, Wayne (18 May 2019). "NSW Waratahs extend winning run over Qld Reds with 40–32 victory at Suncorp Stadium". The Australian. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
27. "Impressive Jaguares dent Waratahs finals hopes". SANZAAR. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
28. Ciccodicola, Jorge (25 May 2019). "Los Jaguares dieron otro golpe histórico en Australia ante Waratahs" [The Jaguars gave another historic blow in Australia against Waratahs]. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 May 2019.
29. "Waratahs continue fine streak against Rebels". SANZAAR. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
30. Woods, Melissa (31 May 2019). "Waratahs' win keeps Super season alive". The Advocate. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
31. "Brumbies top[ the Australian conference in style". SANZAAR. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
32. "Waratahs brushed aside by ruthless Highlanders". SANZAAR. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2020.

External links

• Waratahs Official website
• Australia Super Rugby website
• SANZAR website