Norton-Knight admits it's back to square one for the reborn Waratahs

Rupert Guinness | November 14, 2008


SAM NORTON-KNIGHT can see the size of the challenge facing the Waratahs next season, despite the Super 14 finalists boasting as many as 16 Wallabies on their 2009 playing roster.

It would be too simplistic to assume that because they placed second in this year's competition they are just a step away from the title - if anything, the Waratahs are starting from scratch.

Under a new coaching panel headed by Chris Hickey and new management, NSW are moving into a new era. The days of Ewen McKenzie, who coached the Waratahs to the finals three times in five years, are long gone.

Norton-Knight, who failed to gain selection on the Wallabies' current European tour, believes all Super 14 sides will be on par next year. But he concedes that NSW will struggle to fill the void left by Rocky Elsom, David Lyons and Dan Vickerman, who all left to play in Great Britain, and the four other players who departed.

The Waratahs, who currently have 30 players on their books versus 33 last season [including Al Kanaar who retired during the year], are still searching for a second-cum-back rower both here and overseas, where Australian Super 14 sides can now look under new Australian Rugby Union laws that allow them to have a marquee import.
"We are a side who always have aspirations of top two. I don't think that will change this year [2009], although there are a few things that will make it more difficult to do so," Norton-Knight, 24, said yesterday while launching a $2 million State Government melanoma awareness campaign."We have a few things to overcome, not least that we have lost three very senior - and very important - players in Elsom, Lyons and Vickerman. Not to mention some other guys who have gone also.

"It's going to be tough. Everyone is back to square one. There are still 14 teams who have pretty high aspirations to make the final four. If we can make that again, we would be very happy."

Saying that, Norton-Knight, who has two Test caps and 46 in Super 14 [37 with the Waratahs], believes the versatility of the playing stocks in the NSW backs will be a huge asset.
While Norton-Knight may have his eyes on the fullback slot, where his kicking game can be influential, he is realistic enough to know that he could be used anywhere from No.10 to No.15.

"In the three years I have been here so far, it's been more about what the coach wants from me. I am approaching it that way again. It is more than likely with Daniel [Halangahu] and Kurtley [Beale] here, the five-eighth spot will be fairly well retained between those two.

"I have to look at other positions. Probably fullback is most likely for me, but we will see how things unfold. Obviously, if Lachie Turner gets some big games [on the Wallabies tour] and goes well over there, things might change and I will have to re-think. But at this stage I am looking at playing fullback.

"It's hard to say at this time of year because there are so many guys who aren't here, but when you look at the extended squad, there is Lote [Tuqiri], Timana [Tahu], Lachie coming back … all these guys are very versatile."

As for his Wallabies career, which includes a debut in the No.10 jersey against Wales in Sydney in 2007 and a second cap off the bench against Fiji two weeks later, Norton-Knight hasn't lost sleep waiting for a recall.

"I haven't had any feedback about my game this year, so I assume I am a long way off the mark," he said. "And there are a lot of young guys doing very well there. I haven't given it a whole real lot of thought, to be honest."


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