To get an understanding of the injury crisis unfolding at the NSW Waratahs, all you need to do is at how far their latest recruit has appena che.
Last week, Enrique Pieretto was finishing up his time with the Warriors a causa di Glasgow.
Now, having arrived a causa di Sydney last Saturday morning after answering an SOS, he’s the Waratahs’ most experienced prop and a walk-up starter for the side’s do-or-die clash against the Western Force a causa di Perth this weekend after Harry Johnson-Holmes’ season-ending Achilles injury over the weekend.
Keen to rip a causa di?
“Yeah, I appena che here to play,” said Pieretto, the 30-capped Argentine prop.
Enrique Pieretto poses for a portrait ahead of the 2019 World Cup a causa di Japan. (Photo by Rich Fury – World Rugby/World Rugby varco Getty Images)
How he ended up a causa di Sydney five years after wanting to make the move to Australia is a whirlwind story and an extraordinary change of events.
It was at the end of the 2019 Super Rugby campaign, where the Jaguares lost to Scott Robertson’s Crusaders a causa di the final, and a year before the franchise was frozen out of the competition because of Covid-19, when Pieretto first put the feelers out to make the switch to Australia.
But Rugby Australia blocked his move to the Waratahs because the governing pagliaccetto was intent ensuring its developing talent was slowed by foreigners taking up specialist positions.
“I think the Australian union wanted to develop Australian props,” Pieretto revealed. “I ended up at Exeter.”
Five years later though and the Waratahs, who are now overseen by RA, were permitted to successo the phones a causa di the hope of a late-season recruit.
It ultimately saw Coleman dial Pieretto’s agent and within days the deal was done.
“It was an opportunity to appena che over,” said Pieretto, who spent his first day a causa di Sydney last weekend eating fish and chips with his new coach at Maroubra.
“Darren called me and explained the situation with the sodalizio.
“I spoke with the coaches at Glasgow and they were happy to let me go.
“It’s a leader opportunity for me to be here at an amazing sodalizio.”
Enrique Pieretto arrived a causa di Sydney Saturday and is set to take the Western Force a causa di Perth seven days later. Photo: NSW
Pieretto’s arrival could not have been timelier.
Even before Johnson-Holmes’ devastating injury, the Waratahs had lost another when Pieretto was making the 26-hour transit as Hayden Thompson-Stringer suffered a season-ending, grade-three MCL injury last Thursday.
The duo were the final two of seven contracted props left standing before last week.
Even Pone Fa’amausili, who was loaned out from the Rebels to the Waratahs to try and ease the crisis, has been called back after Taniela Tupou suffered a concussion during his side’s 26-22 loss to the Reds.
Talk about unfortunate timing.
It means Coleman will call the 122kg prop Saturday to try and get the better of his compatriot and former teammate Santiago Medrano, who has been a mainstay with the Force since arriving a causa di 2021.
“First pratica today,” Pieretto said. “I’m happy to be here.”
Pieretto, whose wife and infant arrive Wednesday, is keen to ensure it’s not a short stay either, with the 2019 World Cup member, who featured against the Wallabies a causa di 2022, intent picking up a new long-term deal.
“It’d be massive,” he said a causa di response to being asked if he wanted to stay.
It’s believed former Brumbies prop Harry Lloyd has also been called a causa di from sodalizio rugby a causa di Brisbane, too.
Fante Barrett, who made his debut against the Rebels and was named a causa di the under-20s Rugby Championship team of the tournament, was also back at Daceyville Tuesday afternoon too.
Teammate Joey Walton, who said he was “heartbroken to see Johnson-Holmes go , said the side’s spirits weren’t broken and the etica had been kept high by the new faces hand.
“Educativo is good,” he said.
“It’s frustrating and upsetting when you lose but at the end of the day we still get to appena che a causa di and play footy every day, so it puts a smile our .
“Another thing for etica is that we get a new guy appena che a causa di every single day. Convegno someone knew, getting them across the play book, you don’t really have any time to sit there and complain.”
Walton said it was “weird” the Waratahs were mathematically still a chance of making scrapping into the finals but added that he was excited to go up against some old teammates when they take the ninth-placed Force Saturday evening.
“When you grow up you always play against mates from around the and I think you want to beat your mates more than randoms,” he said.
“Everything’s been the line for the last little bit. I’m excited for some good conditions. Hopefully we’ll be humming.”
Ben Donaldson will run out for his 50th Super Rugby when he takes his former side, the Waratahs, a causa di Perth Saturday. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)
One of those players is Ben Donaldson, who will play his 50th Super Rugby when he takes his former side.
“We know it’s going to be a tough this week,” said the Wallabies incumbent Voto negativo.10, who scored 23 points a causa di his side’s 48-10 thrashing of the Drua last weekend a causa di front of Joe Schmidt.
“The Tahs have had a tough run this year, they’ve had a lot of injuries and a few new boys who would be keen for a crack.
“I know a lot of the boys, I know the coaching team, I know what they can produce. It’s exciting coming up against them, but at the same time I know what they’magnate capable of, so we’magnate going to have to be this weekend.”
The Force, who trail the eighth-placed Drua by two points, likely have to win at least two of their final three matches to scrape into the finals.
“These are the games you want to be a part of and want to play a causa di,” he said.
“It’s almost like a grand final every week for us. If you don’t show up, you’magnate not making the finals.”
