NSW Waratahs give Dangar Park a tick of approval following captain’s run | Photos

NSW Waratahs take on Super Rugby rivals Queensland Reds tomorrow night in a pre-season match at Dangar Park, the home of the Narrabri Rugby Club.

That highly-anticipated match is the headline act of the 2021 Santos Festival of Rugby, which kicked off today and will wrap up on Saturday night.

Tomorrow night’s match under lights at the home of the Blue Boars will be the two sides’ only pre-season hit-out before they meet in round one of the 2021 Super Rugby season on Friday, February 19, at the iconic Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The Waratahs were put through their paces at Dangar Park this evening at their captain’s run, and the field got the tick of approval from flanker Hugh Sinclair, who will captain the side tomorrow night.

“The deck is amazing, the setup here is unbelievable,” Sinclair told The Courier.

“It was good to get out and have a run this arvo.

“Everyone is very keen to get out there tomorrow night, it’s been a long pre-season.

“We were meant to play a week ago (in a pre-season match against the Brumbies at Bowral, which was cancelled). The boys just want to play footy.”

Sinclair, who will run out in the starting lineup at left flanker wearing the number six jersey tomorrow night, said that the Dangar Park crowd could expect some spark in his side’s clash against the Reds.

“Expect a fast-paced game, we want to keep the ball moving and keep the ball in play,” he said.

“We’ve got some young blokes so there’ll be a bit of spark on the edges.”

Tomorrow night’s game will be watched by more than 3000 people at Dangar Park and many more on streaming service Cluch TV.

Earlier today, the Waratahs named its lineup for the match, which is as follows:

1 Sio Tatola, 2 David Porecki, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 4 Michael Wood, 5 Sam Caird, 6 Hugh Sinclair, 7 Charlie Gamble, 8 Will Harris, 9 Jack Grant, 10 Tane Edmed, 11 Triston Reilly, 12 Tepai Moeroa, 13 Alex Newsome, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15 Max Bury, 16 Tom Horton, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Te Tera Faulkner, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Joey Walton, 23 Jack Maddocks, 24 Will Harrison, 25  Izaia Peresi, 26  Max Douglas, 27  Chris Talakai, 28 Jack Whetton.