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Updated May 22, 2026 \u2014 11:41pm,first published 9:55pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n The Waratahs may play one more game next Saturday against the Force in Perth, but their Super Rugby season essentially ended on Friday night, losing 21-14 to the Brumbies in Sydney.<\/p>\n It is deja vu for the Waratahs. Defeat against the Brumbies means they will almost certainly fail to reach the Super Rugby Finals for the fourth consecutive year, barring a mathematical miracle.<\/p>\n The Waratahs made an admirable comeback from 21-0, the problem was that it started at 62 minutes through an Isaac Kailea try. NSW had 58 per cent of the possession in the game, made almost twice as many post-contact metres as the Brumbies, but they failed to make it count on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n Waratahs coach Dan McKellar is close to finishing his second season at Daceyville and believes that progress has been made under his tenure, despite failing to reach finals again.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve made huge progress, a lot of which the public can\u2019t see, it\u2019s within the four walls of the building,\u201d McKellar said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to understand when we took over this group, it was a group that had come last [in Super Rugby].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re really lacking in a lot of key areas to perform consistently at this level. We\u2019ve made a lot of change, but we\u2019re on the right track,\u201d McKellar continued.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re far from where we need to be, but progress is not always through results. [I] understand that we need to get results.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if he would do anything differently reflecting on this year, McKellar said he would review at the end of the season.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to be chopping and changing. I\u2019ve got a way I go about doing things and I think that it works,\u201d McKellar said.<\/p>\n \u201cOtherwise, I wouldn\u2019t be here. I\u2019m not going to listen to every voice that\u2019s out there or start listening to people outside the building, because if I do that, then I\u2019ll be sitting with them. So that won\u2019t be happening.\u201d<\/p>\n This game was a microcosm of the Waratahs season. A huge amount of potential, ultimately stifled by inaccuracy and ill-discipline.<\/p>\n Out of contract, Waratahs playmaker Jack Bowen got his second start of the season, playing beside his childhood friend and halves partner Teddy Wilson. Their familiarity bred a far more fluent Waratahs backline in the early stages of the game that should have been rewarded with points. The Waratahs did the hard work to get themselves in the right part of the field, but they just could not execute.<\/p>\n There were two early try scoring opportunities butchered, with breakaway Charlie Gamble held up easily by the Brumbies\u2019 defence and minutes later, winger Sid Harvey spilling a pass metres away from the line. The moment swung the momentum from the Waratahs to the Brumbies.<\/p>\n The Brumbies ruthlessly punished the Waratahs wastefulness, with Wallabies hooker Billy Pollard scoring the game\u2019s first try after 20 minutes.<\/p>\n The Waratahs have consistently shown ill-discipline this season, and Gamble\u2019s yellow card for entering a ruck offside was costly and careless. The NSW defensive scrum was weakened, and Brumbies second-rower Cadeyrn Neville crossed for his side\u2019s second try.<\/p>\n Brumbies prop Allan Alaalatoa marked his 150th game with a try ten minutes into the second half that defined his decorated career, a selfless and tough carry, dragging his team over the tryline in the rain.<\/p>\n Related Article The Brumbies replacement Lachlan Lonergan was yellow-carded for deliberately pulling down a maul, which allowed the Waratahs an opportunity to stage a comeback from 21 points down. After 61 minutes, NSW finally crossed the Brumbies tryline through replacement prop Isaac Kailea, finally getting over from close range.<\/p>\n Despite Harvey kicking the conversion, there was a farcical interruption to the game by the TMO to recheck the grounding. Eventually, the TMO agreed referee Ben O\u2019Keefe was correct and had made the correct decision.<\/p>\n The Waratahs\u2019 biggest threat had consistently been on the edges, through their wingers and fullback Max Jorgensen. Jorgensen broke through a Tom Wright tackle to score in the corner after a long pass from captain Matt Philip. Harvey converted from a tough angle to set up ten minutes for the Waratahs to save their season.<\/p>\n Ultimately, it was too little too late. Another Waratahs season that promised so much has ended in disappointment.<\/p>\n Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific<\/a> live and exclusive on Stan Sport<\/a>. <\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f2e5fd8a1d227d86513a745602f95eca5c949610.jpeg\")
Matt Philip of the Waratahs looks on after his team fail to make Super Rugby finalsGetty Images<\/p>\n![\"Waratahs](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779465134_370_98a0298fcfbe84e5ecbfbb6442ce7dd2c5f44596.jpeg\")
Waratahs Head Coach Dan McKellar earlier this month.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Clem](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/9fd5b274bf8d7c57f5bfd1cfdc8ace678e9a5453.jpeg\")
Clem Halaholo of the Waratahs runs the ball Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"SYDNEY,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5b42b0cb8e3b478f0f9b6af41b9313b6a0d10456.jpeg\")
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