Waratahs kit disappears
Tue, 13 May 2008 09:13
The Waratahs arrived back in Sydney after their two week tour of South Africa but their gear failed to accompany them on their trip.
The side's preparation for Saturday's crunch game with fierce rival the Reds in Brisbane has been disrupted with 104 of the squad's 109 pieces of luggage not making it home.
After an arduous 18-hour journey from Cape Town the players faced every traveller's worst nightmare when they discovered their gear had not followed them back to Sydney.
"We've got no clothes or boots or mouthguards," skipper Phil Waugh told the Daily Telegraph.
The only equipment which made it back to Australia were a few rugby balls, tackle bags and hit pads.
"They just told us now none of it came," said coach Ewen McKenzie after passing through customs.
"We sat in Johannesburg for an hour and a half because of baggage issues, so I don't know what they were doing.
"They were shuffling around the deckchairs and there was obviously nothing there," added a frustrated McKenzie.
The players may be asked to wear their club gear or squeeze into their old school jerseys for Tuesday's training session.
"We'll have to do a bit of fudging," McKenzie said. "We are a pretty good team at adapting - we certainly don't look to use it as an excuse.
"We will make the best of it. I'm sure we will get a laugh out of it tomorrow [Tuesday]."
Baggage theft in South Africa has hit the headlines in recent months, with a number of passengers - both domestic and international - arriving sans their luggage.
Whether the 'Tahs get their luggage back remains to be seen, but they have far more important things to deal with this week.
One of those issues revolves around the combination of the 'Tahs outside backs to face the Reds in the game which will determine their play-off fate.
Timaha Tahu will come into contention for a place in the starting line-up after displaying some nice touches in his comeback off the bench at outside centre against the Stormers.
"He had a good impact and it was good to see him back in there - it gives some options to play with," McKenzie said.
"We'll definitely be talking about him because he is already in the 22," added the coach.
McKenzie said Lote Tuqiri carried the ball more than anyone else at fullback against the Stormers.
Significantly, he said Sam Norton-Knight had a very good game going on as a second-half replacement after being freshened up.
"We know the type of game we will get up there so we'll have to pick a team accordingly," McKenzie said.
The only player considered in any doubt for Saturday's game is winger Lachie Turner, who suffered a head knock in the 13-all draw with the Stormers.
Prop Matt Dunning is expected to be fit after recovering from a calf injury.
Waugh believes the situation in which the Waratahs now find themselves is good preparation going into the knockout stages.
"It was a pressure game on Saturday in Cape Town and it's another pressure game this week," he said.
"You look at England in the World Cup last year and the pressure they were under going into the finals.
"It made a big difference when they got there - so hopefully it can have the same effect on us," concluded Waugh.
