Waratahs under increasing pressure after the 'meekest' performance of NSW coach Dan McKellar's career
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The NSW Waratahs are under pressure to deliver a season-saving response after delivering what Morgan Turinui called the "meekest" performance he had ever seen from a Dan McKellar-coached team.
Waratahs great Turinui delivered the stinging verdict on Stan Sport's Between Two Posts in the wake of NSW's flat 20-17 loss to the Western Force at Allianz Stadium.
It was NSW's first loss to the Force in Sydney for five years and left them eighth of 11 teams on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.
Watch the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season with every match streaming live and on demand on the home of rugby, Stan Sport
Joey Walton and Jake Gordon after the loss to the Force. Stan
"There's a huge disconnect between the messaging of the coach and what the players are putting on the field," Turinui said.
"So that's what they need to fix. Why and what is that disconnect, because that's the meekest Dan McKellar-coached performance I've seen from a team ever. It's the most laissez-faire performance from a Dan McKellar-coached team I've ever seen."
McKellar is a former Wallabies forwards coach who had a successful run with the ACT Brumbies before moving to the Leicester Tigers and then the Waratahs.
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Waratahs coach Dan McKellar after the loss to the Force. Stan
Turinui noted McKellar's demands for breakdown ferocity and accuracy were nowhere to be seen against a Force team that is coming home with a wet sail with four rounds to play.
"They were so far off the pace in anything that involved contact," Turinui said.
"They didn't look like they were coached by Dan McKellar... it looked to me like the Force were actually waging psychological warfare on the Waratahs team. I thought it was a tactical masterclass from Simon Cron and Ben Donaldson.
"They knew all they had to do was dominate territory - and they pretty much couldn't lose the game. The Tahs weren't brave enough to risk losing the game to try and win the game.
"They played no footy out of their own zone. They used none of the quality they had out wide. They never tried a plan B, they never tried anything different, and they went meekly off into the night with a loss."
The Waratahs also missed the finals in McKellar's first season in charge last year.
They play the ninth-placed Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday in what shapes as a genuine must-win for both sides.
The Waratahs, Highlanders and seventh-placed Fijian Drua are all locked on 20 points - but NSW have a game in hand over those sides.
Both Turinui and NSW legend Michael Hooper called for McKellar to switch Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the centres after he was nearly invisible against the Force.
Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii of the Waratahs runs out at Allianz Stadium. Getty
Turinui said the back three should feature Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Sid Harvey with Triston Reilly slotting in at No.13.
That would see Wallabies veteran Andrew Kellaway drop out of the starting side.
"I think it's time to shelve that 13 experiment (for Suaalii)," he said.
Sean Maloney, Michael Hooper and Morgan Turinui. Stan
"I understand at the Wallabies it might be different, but at the Waratahs, they've got to be selfish now, and they've got to find a way to free up space.
"He's a get the ball in his hands early guy, and let him create doubt. That's the way I've said it all the way along, and I haven't seen any evidence to change my mind."
McKellar is sticking with Suaalii at No.13 for now.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii of the Waratahs speaks to the media during a media opportunity. Getty
"He's been selected at 13 this week and I've said many times before, there's an open mind around where he plays now and where he plays in the future," he said.
"He's very focused on what he needs to do. Obviously, last year we played him at 15. He played five or six games last year and performed pretty well. He's been in the 13 jersey for the Wallabies. Up until this point, we thought we'd keep that consistency around position and try to unlock what is a pretty unique talent."
Highlanders vs NSW Waratahs
SAT 9 MAY: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (2.35pm AEST)
HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Ethan de Groot (co-c), Jack Taylor, Angus Ta'avao, Tomas Lavanini, Mitch Dunshea, Te Kamaka Howden, Lucas Casey, Nikora Broughton, Adam Lennox, Cameron Millar, Jonah Lowe, Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c), Jona Nareki, Caleb Tangitau, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Replacements: Soane Vikena, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma'u, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy, Nic Shearer, Taine Robinson, Xavier Tito-Harris
WARATAHS (1-15): Isaac Kailea, Ethan Dobbins, Dan Botha, Miles Amatosero, Angus Blyth, Angus Scott-Young, Charlie Gamble, Pete Samu, Jake Gordon (c), Jack Debreczeni, Sid Harvey, Lawson Creighton, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Andrew Kellaway, Max Jorgensen
Replacements: Folau Fainga'a, Jack Barrett, Apolosi Ranawai, Clem Halaholo, Leafi Talataina, Teddy Wilson, Jack Bowen, Harry Potter
Referee: Damon Murphy
TMO: James Leckie
