Waugh: 'Hard work for 'Tahs'
Sat, 17 May 2008 13:47
Waratahs captain Phil Waugh says his team still have a lot for work to do in preparation for their Super 14 semifinal in Sydney next Saturday.
The Waratahs confirmed a home semifinal with a hard-earned 18-11 win over the Reds in their final league fixture in Brisbane on Saturday. The results moves the Waratahs into an unassailable second place above the Hurricanes. It is not yet confirmed who they will host in the semifinals but it could be anyone of the Stormers, Sharks or Blues.
"There is still much to do in the next week," Waugh said. "We have to hold on to the ball more than we did today and take the ball through the phases. It feels good to be going back to Sydney".
Waugh praised his team's defensive effort against a fired-up Reds side that has shown consistent improvement in recent weeks.
"Our defence was very good and it shows in that they scored their only try from a kick over the top. Our set pieces were also very good. I was very happy with the scrums in particular. The lineouts weren't bad but we need to work on our throw-ins," Waugh said.
Disappointed Reds skipper James Horwill said his team had played well but that they had struggled with a dearth of possession.
"We played well but we did not get our hands on the ball enough," he said. "We have improved over the past weeks but we are still not where we should be and there is lots of room for improvement".
Asked what factors were responsible for the Reds improvement from last year - where they finished last - Horwill said: " We have a lot of young guys who are in their second saeson of Super 14 and they have learnt a lot this year. We are looking forward to more improvement next season," he said.
The Waratahs, meanwhile, must now wait for the outcome of Saturday's matches between the Stormers and the Lions in Johannesburg, and the Sharks and the Chiefs in Durban to know who they will meet in next week's semifinal.
