Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui has labelled the ACT Brumbies “a better team” than the NSW Waratahs ahead of this weekend’s Aussie derby at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.
Under coach Dan McKellar, the Waratahs will look to bounce back in round six after suffering their first loss of the Super Rugby Pacific season against the Queensland Reds on Saturday.
Winger Triston Reilly struck for the Tahs as they took an early 5-nil lead on enemy territory, only for the Reds to take over later on with a 28-point blitz. Fraser McReight scored what former Wallabies scrum-half Nick Phipps described as “one of the best tries I’ve seen this year.”
The Reds were in fine form, with an injury-riddled Tahs outfit struggling for answers in that fifth-round derby. But a new week in Super Rugby Pacific presents all teams in action with an opportunity to bounce back or maintain their winning form.
There’s no better time for the Tahs to make a statement than this Saturday, as the men in sky blue prepare to take on another Australian rival. It’s a tough task for the Tahs, who are coming up against a Brumbies side who’ve won their last two.
“It’s all about what team the Tahs roll out there. The Brumbies are a better team than the Tahs at the moment,” Turinui said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
“Foketi is a massive loss at the moment, just in that middle. [Henry] O’Donnell’s doing well, [Joey] Walton’s a great communicator.
“They had chances, they just couldn’t put the Reds away to convert enough. They had lots and lost of 22 entries and they just couldn’t get there.”
The Waratahs were without captain Jake Gordon and injured midfielder Lalakai Foketi for their clash with the Reds, and then of course there’s the absence of Rugby Australia’s multi-million dollar marquee recruit, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Suaalii debuted for the Wallabies during last year’s Spring Tour, before playing even a minute of Super Rugby with the Waratahs. That first match in sky blue came in the first round of this season, with the former NRL flyer impressing at fullback against the Highlanders.
But Suaalii hasn’t played since.
That’s prompted a bit of a backline reshuffle with Wallaby Andrew Kellaway shifting to fullback from the wing, while Darby Lancaster came into the starting side for matches against the Fijian Drua and Western Force.
Henry O’Donnell has also held down the fort in the team’s midfield, with the former Junior Wallaby making the move back home to Sydney from the Western Force before this year’s season.
But there’s no doubt, if available, the Tahs would love to have Suaalii back in action. That sets up a potentially intriguing matchup between two Wallabies teammates, with Brumby Len Ikitau expected to start at outside centre after a hat-trick against the Drua last time out.
“If they pick him,” Turinui questioned. “Are they going to pick him there [in the midfield], though?
“I don’t mind him at fullback.”
Phipps added: “I think with Foketi out for a bit longer it’s probably more of a spot in there for him.”
