Dream weavers: Waratahs off to Auckland with belief
Even they admit it: the Super Rugby Pacific finals have come early as the NSW Waratahs head to Auckland intent on busting a 16-year hoodoo against the defending champion Blues.
A thrilling extra-time victory over the Western Force has breathed fresh life into the Waratahs' season.
But they yearn to live a little longer yet.
"Going over to Auckland is a massive opportunity," flyhalf Jack Bowen said on Tuesday as he reflected on the game-breaking cameo role he played in Saturday night's 22-17 win in Perth.
"We were talking about it, we haven't won there since 2009 and the opportunity we have. This is our semi-final this week, to go over there and treat it as a semi-final and earn another week is really exciting."
Tom Carter has been reminding everyone in the building that he is the only Waratahs staffer to have won at Eden Park.
But he forgot that fellow assistant coach Dan Palmer was also in the triumphant Tahs team of 16 years ago that was captained by former Wallabies star and now Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh.
Whatever, the Waratahs' class of 2025 have full belief they can pen their own chapter in the record books with another famous upset on Saturday to force their way into the six-team finals.
"It's a big game for both teams and I think, probably outside these walls, no one's expecting us to go over there and get it done," Bowen said.
"So it takes the pressure off us and eases us up a little bit.
"But it's a massive challenge that we're going to be up for, and we've got to go over there and beat them. They're not going to beat themselves.
"So we've got to go and attack them. A lot of Aussies sides over the years, and especially when I've been over there, we've gone over there just to have a swing and see what happens.
"Whereas we've genuinely got the belief this week that we can go over there and beat them and earn ourselves another week.
"It's such a cauldron there and such an iconic place in rugby, so to go over there and get a win this weekend would mean everything to us."
The Waratahs wouldn't be in such a privileged position if not for Bowen's last-gasp heroics.
It was the son of a gun, former Wallabies No.10 Scott Bowen, who delivered the probing kick for winger Darby Lancaster to touch down seven seconds after the "super time" siren had sounded at HBF Park.
But, while still unable to wipe the smile off his face, the 21-year-old admits he was as much relieved as elated to have set up the match-winner after missing a 74th-minute penalty goal that would have earned the Waratahs victory in regulation time.
"I was really confident going into the kick. Like, as a kicker, you want to kick those kicks, and that's what you dream about as a kid, having those shots to win," Bowen said.
"So I was really confident, and once I obviously missed that, I knew I had to make up for it somehow.
"Yeah, get the ball to Darby and see what he can do.
"But I thought the whole team as well moved the ball really well for how wet it was out there, and we were just really composed, which was massive in extra time because you don't get to play in extra time too often."
Even they admit it: the Super Rugby Pacific finals have come early as the NSW Waratahs head to Auckland intent on busting a 16-year hoodoo against the defending champion Blues.
A thrilling extra-time victory over the Western Force has breathed fresh life into the Waratahs' season.
But they yearn to live a little longer yet.
"Going over to Auckland is a massive opportunity," flyhalf Jack Bowen said on Tuesday as he reflected on the game-breaking cameo role he played in Saturday night's 22-17 win in Perth.
"We were talking about it, we haven't won there since 2009 and the opportunity we have. This is our semi-final this week, to go over there and treat it as a semi-final and earn another week is really exciting."
Tom Carter has been reminding everyone in the building that he is the only Waratahs staffer to have won at Eden Park.
But he forgot that fellow assistant coach Dan Palmer was also in the triumphant Tahs team of 16 years ago that was captained by former Wallabies star and now Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh.
Whatever, the Waratahs' class of 2025 have full belief they can pen their own chapter in the record books with another famous upset on Saturday to force their way into the six-team finals.
"It's a big game for both teams and I think, probably outside these walls, no one's expecting us to go over there and get it done," Bowen said.
"So it takes the pressure off us and eases us up a little bit.
"But it's a massive challenge that we're going to be up for, and we've got to go over there and beat them. They're not going to beat themselves.
"So we've got to go and attack them. A lot of Aussies sides over the years, and especially when I've been over there, we've gone over there just to have a swing and see what happens.
"Whereas we've genuinely got the belief this week that we can go over there and beat them and earn ourselves another week.
"It's such a cauldron there and such an iconic place in rugby, so to go over there and get a win this weekend would mean everything to us."
The Waratahs wouldn't be in such a privileged position if not for Bowen's last-gasp heroics.
It was the son of a gun, former Wallabies No.10 Scott Bowen, who delivered the probing kick for winger Darby Lancaster to touch down seven seconds after the "super time" siren had sounded at HBF Park.
But, while still unable to wipe the smile off his face, the 21-year-old admits he was as much relieved as elated to have set up the match-winner after missing a 74th-minute penalty goal that would have earned the Waratahs victory in regulation time.
"I was really confident going into the kick. Like, as a kicker, you want to kick those kicks, and that's what you dream about as a kid, having those shots to win," Bowen said.
"So I was really confident, and once I obviously missed that, I knew I had to make up for it somehow.
"Yeah, get the ball to Darby and see what he can do.
"But I thought the whole team as well moved the ball really well for how wet it was out there, and we were just really composed, which was massive in extra time because you don't get to play in extra time too often."
Even they admit it: the Super Rugby Pacific finals have come early as the NSW Waratahs head to Auckland intent on busting a 16-year hoodoo against the defending champion Blues.
A thrilling extra-time victory over the Western Force has breathed fresh life into the Waratahs' season.
But they yearn to live a little longer yet.
"Going over to Auckland is a massive opportunity," flyhalf Jack Bowen said on Tuesday as he reflected on the game-breaking cameo role he played in Saturday night's 22-17 win in Perth.
"We were talking about it, we haven't won there since 2009 and the opportunity we have. This is our semi-final this week, to go over there and treat it as a semi-final and earn another week is really exciting."
Tom Carter has been reminding everyone in the building that he is the only Waratahs staffer to have won at Eden Park.
But he forgot that fellow assistant coach Dan Palmer was also in the triumphant Tahs team of 16 years ago that was captained by former Wallabies star and now Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh.
Whatever, the Waratahs' class of 2025 have full belief they can pen their own chapter in the record books with another famous upset on Saturday to force their way into the six-team finals.
"It's a big game for both teams and I think, probably outside these walls, no one's expecting us to go over there and get it done," Bowen said.
"So it takes the pressure off us and eases us up a little bit.
"But it's a massive challenge that we're going to be up for, and we've got to go over there and beat them. They're not going to beat themselves.
"So we've got to go and attack them. A lot of Aussies sides over the years, and especially when I've been over there, we've gone over there just to have a swing and see what happens.
"Whereas we've genuinely got the belief this week that we can go over there and beat them and earn ourselves another week.
"It's such a cauldron there and such an iconic place in rugby, so to go over there and get a win this weekend would mean everything to us."
The Waratahs wouldn't be in such a privileged position if not for Bowen's last-gasp heroics.
It was the son of a gun, former Wallabies No.10 Scott Bowen, who delivered the probing kick for winger Darby Lancaster to touch down seven seconds after the "super time" siren had sounded at HBF Park.
But, while still unable to wipe the smile off his face, the 21-year-old admits he was as much relieved as elated to have set up the match-winner after missing a 74th-minute penalty goal that would have earned the Waratahs victory in regulation time.
"I was really confident going into the kick. Like, as a kicker, you want to kick those kicks, and that's what you dream about as a kid, having those shots to win," Bowen said.
"So I was really confident, and once I obviously missed that, I knew I had to make up for it somehow.
"Yeah, get the ball to Darby and see what he can do.
"But I thought the whole team as well moved the ball really well for how wet it was out there, and we were just really composed, which was massive in extra time because you don't get to play in extra time too often."
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