Waratahs hunt Hurricanes and respect in New Zealand

MELBOURNE : The New South Wales Waratahs will look to shrug off their dire record in New Zealand and become the third Australian team to win there this season when they kick off the seventh round of Super Rugby Pacific against the Wellington Hurricanes on Friday.

Bolstered by former Melbourne Rebels players after the collapse of Australia's fifth team, the Sydney-based Waratahs have motored to a 4-1 start under new coach Dan McKellar, doubling their win count from a miserable 2024 season.

However, they lost their only match away from home this season and have yet to be tested in New Zealand, where they have lost their last seven.

A breakthrough at Wellington Regional Stadium would be a watershed moment for the Waratahs and silence any doubts about Australia's competitiveness in the provincial competition.

The ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds have already shown the Waratahs how to win "across the ditch" by prevailing over the Auckland Blues and Otago Highlanders respectively.

McKellar's team will need to break a seven-match losing streak to the eighth-placed Hurricanes a week after ending a run of 13 defeats to the Brumbies.

"The key for us is consistency - backing up a strong performance against a team that most people didn't think we'd beat and doing it again," said McKellar.

"If we bring high effort, physicality, and intensity, we back ourselves against any team."

Fourth in the table, the Waratahs will be reinforced by marquee recruit Joseph Suaalii, who slots straight into the starting 15 after being sidelined since round one with a toe injury.

The rugby league convert made a winning Super Rugby debut at fullback against the Highlanders but will play his second match in the midfield behind captain Joey Walton.

Max Jorgensen,