Coleman eyes elusive back-to-back win

Coach Darren Coleman has named an unchanged starting XV for the first time all season as the Waratahs bid for elusive back-to-back Super Rugby Pacific wins.

The Waratahs take on the Queensland Reds in Townsville on Saturday having not won successive games since round 11 and 12 last year - some 15 matches ago.

The Waratahs escaped with a lastminute 21-20 victory over the Highlanders last start flagging season.

But they’ve still won only three from nine so far this campaign. “We’re happy with the result last week but are still searching for an 80-minute performance which we’ll need against a dangerous Reds outfit away in Queensland,” Coleman said.

“Our rivalry with the Reds is one of the oldest and fiercest in Australian sports and we can’t wait to get to revive their up to Townsville.

“They’ve had the wood on us for the past couple of years and with the ladder as congested as it is, this match is almost worth double points so we’re definitely cognisant of the importance of this match.” The match kicks off at 9.35pm.

Line-up

Reds: 1. Sef Fa’agase, 2. Matt Faessler, 3. Zane Nonggorr, 4. Connor Vest, 5. Ryan Smith, 6. Liam

Wright (co-c), 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Tate McDermott (c), 10. Lawson Creighton, 11. Jock Campbell, 12. James O’Connor, 13. Josh Flook, 14. Suliasi Vunivalu, 15. Jordan Petaia

Reserves: 16. Richie Asiata, 17. George Blake, 18. Peni Ravai, 19. Angus Blyth, 20. Seru Uru, 21. Kalani Thomas, 22. Tom Lynagh, 23. Filipo Daugunu

Waratahs: 1. Te Tera Faulkner, 2. Dave Porecki, 3. Harry Johnson

Holmes, 4. Jed Holloway, 5. Hugh Sinclair, 6. Taleni Seu, 7. Michael Hooper, 8. Langi Gleeson, 9. Jake Gordon (c), 10. Ben Donaldson, 11. Dylan Pietsch, 12. Lalakai Foketi,

13. Izaia Perese, 14. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15. Max Jorgensen

Reserves: 16. Mahe Vailanu, 17. Nephi Leatigaga, 18. Daniel Botha,

19. Will Harris, 20. Charlie Gamble,

21. Harrison Goddard, 22. Joey Walton, 23. Harry Wilson.

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