Sore bodies good for in-form Waratahs

Sore bodies from a more intense training programme has the NSW Waratahs convinced their Super Rugby season is well and truly back on track.

Veteran prop Benn Robinson criticised the `Tahs training performances earlier this season but the side has won three in a row after ratcheting up the intensity of their match preparations.

“Every week, we’re pretty sore going into a game because our scrum sessions and lineouts, all the on-field stuff and all that contact work has really been taken up a gear,” Waratahs prop Tom Robertson said.

“Because we weren’t happy with what happened for six weeks, it’s definitely been taken up a notch.”

The Waratahs scrum performances were widely criticised earlier in the campaign but Robertson felt the improvement in that area against the Cheetahs last Saturday represented a turning point in that critical department.

“That was the first time where those fifty-fifty calls started going our way. In the past that definitely hasn’t been happening,” Robertson said.

“Hopefully, we can continue that run against the Bulls on the weekend but I think the weekend was a big turning point of setting a standard for our scrum for the rest of the year.”

Robertson was looking forward to matching up with some of the Bulls formidable front row talent.

“I’ve had a look at the Bulls (on video) and they are absolutely enormous so they are going to be pretty physical and pretty big up front,” Robertson said.

“The South African teams are very big and very physical and they love their scrums, so it will certainly be a challenge for me but obviously I’m looking forward to proving myself at this level.

“I haven’t really come up against some of those big international Springboks yet, so I’m champing at the bit to get out there.”

Impressive rookie Robertson is already considered a bolter for Wallabies selection later this year, but said he still needed to serve an apprenticeship at Super Rugby level.

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