Off the back of an inspired performance from Max Jorgensen and a dominant scrum, the NSW Waratahs have recorded their best start to a season since 2009 after demolishing the Western Force 34-10 in Sydney on Saturday night.
Most arrived at the Sydney Football Stadium expecting a ding-dong battle and the Force to fire several shots after a promising start to the season. They would have left thinking the Force fizzled out quicker than Cyclone Alfred as the Waratahs won three on the trot for the first time in 16 years.
The 24-point win saw the Waratahs move up into second place on 13 points, one point adrift of ladder-leaders the Chiefs who became the latest big-name side to slip in Fiji earlier on Saturday.
Making the bonus point win all the more satisfying for Dan McKellar was that it was done without their multi-million dollar recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Max Jorgensen scored twice in the Waratahs’ big win over the Force at Allianz Stadium on March 08, 2025. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Even though the home side scored six tries, McKellar will have been most satisfied with their last-ditched efforts after shutting down several half breaks from the visitors.
He will have looked across his coach’s box and tipped his hat at defence coach Lachie McCaffrey, while World Cup winner turned respected attack coach Mike Catt even cracked a smile after a clunky start to the year left many wondering where the Waratahs were in their great rebuild.
“I thought the real positive was that we defended really well tonight,” said captain Jake Gordon, who was forced off in the first half with a little knock that the halfback played down.
“I thought some of our higher linespeed defence put them under a lot of pressure.
“We put them under pressure at the right areas of the field. I thought our set-piece got pretty loose but our power game looked pretty good.”
Indeed, it was with the Waratahs’ scrum taking the Force to the cleaners, as the visitors gave away 19 penalties.
Angus Bell was amongst the home side’s best in his 69 minute shift, while the entire pack was physical during their momentum-building win in front of a poor crowd of just over 11,000.
But it was Jorgensen’s brilliant opening half that helped give the Waratahs the early lead with two tries out wide.
