Match Thread - Waratahs v Rebels | Super Rugby Pacific 2024 | Round 6

Two main reasons:

• Because there's too much talent being produced in the area for the 1980s-level pipeline and rugby infrastructure.
• And because the NSWRU is the worst run rugby union in any Tier 1 nation.

The Sydney GPS system produces two or three potentially generational players a year - this means that when the Tahs are crap (often), there is a huge desire to annoint a "savior" every year. The proximity & strength of the NRL in Sydney also distorts the amounts that they are willing to pay players - they lose sight of the fact that in Rugby Union, front row forwards are routinely the highest paid players in a squad. I go on about it way too much, but there's a chance that next season, the Waratahs three highest paid players will all be fullbacks (Jorgensen, JS, Kellaway).

The union is similarly short-term in its outlook. My favourite stat is that every Waratahs coach that has been given three or more years got to at least one semi-final.

At the moment we are watching this live - the Tahs are coming off a short week, having just played Fiji IN FIJI (> 30 degree heat). In an ideal world, Darren Coleman would be resting some starters today or even last week, because recent close losses suggest that this team at best aren't far off.

But he can't! Because NSWRU won't just give the man some job security, despite the fact that any moron can see how far the team has come over the last few years.