http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21254560-5002381,00.html
Waratahs have wilted
By Peter Jenkins
February 20, 2007
COACH Ewen McKenzie has dismissed suggestions the Waratahs are a spent force in Super 14 as they battle an injury plague and a lowly position on the ladder.
After two losses from their first three matches, the Tahs are languishing in equal 10th position and could sink lower this weekend when they take the fourth-round bye.
But McKenzie, now with five Australia forwards on the sidelines, remained upbeat as the Waratahs headed home from South Africa.
"Obviously we're concerned about the amount of young guys we've had to bring in," he said last night.
"We're exposing a lot of people. But you can only look at it in a positive way and say 'well here's the chance to find out what these guys can offer'.
"Sometimes through other people's misfortunes you can find a bit of a gem. The problem we do have is that every week you're playing against experienced teams."
McKenzie said his confidence that the Waratahs can recover to reach the finals was genuine and soundly based.
"We're not out of it, there's still 10 games to go and we've got seven at home," he added.
"The other reason is we could have won both of the games that we lost (to the Sharks and the Cheetahs).
"If we'd been a little bit smarter, a little bit more effective, or hadn't been as loose at the front end of those game we could have won them.
"So we're not far away, we're certainly not despondent. You potentially lose confidence if you don't win but we've had our chances in those games.
"We would have liked to be further up the table at this point. But look at the competition, it's bloody tight. There's a lot of teams not where they would have budgeted to be after three rounds."
Western Force, which travels to Sydney for a round-five clash with the Waratahs on Friday week, is not one of them.
Rebounding from an upset week-one loss to the Highlanders in Perth, Force enjoyed twin triumphs on its road trip to South Africa.
It beat the Stormers in Cape Town and, even more impressively, pipped the Bulls at their Pretoria fortress.
"I thought they played really well," said McKenzie.
"To win at Loftus is a great result. The Bulls, like the Cheetahs, must have thought after 20 minutes they pretty much had the game in the bag.
"They had a couple of tries and it was all going hummingly. But there was great resolve shown by Force and they snuck a win where we squeaked a loss.
"At the same time, I'm pleased with the effort our guys showed. We'd just like to get another win.
"I think our luck will turn if we just keep being persistent. So it's a good test of character at the moment."
