The NSW Waratahs have plumbed new depths, slumping to a humiliating 26-24 home loss to Super Rugby’s hapless Kings. The Kings are the competition’s dead men walking, consigned to the scrapheap in 2018 as part of SANZAAR’s restructuring after managing just three wins in the past season and a half.

Yet for all that, the lowly South Africans may well have sounded the death knell on the Waratahs’ finals hopes after reversing a record 72-10 loss to NSW in the two sides’ only previous meeting, in Port Elizabeth four years ago.

Looking to cash in on the Brumbies’ heavy loss to the Hurricanes earlier on Friday night in Napier, the Waratahs looked on track for a desperately needed bonus-point win after opening up a 17-0 lead with three first-half tries. But the Kings had other ideas, racking up 26 points to clinch a memorable first win on Australasian soil before the Waratahs grabbed an after-the-siren bonus point with a consolation try to Taqele Naiyaravoro.

Powerhouse winger Naiyaravoro had also opened the scoring with the first try of the night after Israel Folau tapped back a clever cross-field kick from Bernard Foley. When winger Rob Horne and fullback Cam Clark both followed up with 99-metre tries, Waratahs fans could not have imagined such a collapse.

“It was a pretty embarrassing performance from us,” Waratahs captain Michael Hooper said. “There was a lot of talk, not much action. It’s going to be a tough weekend.”

The depressing defeat leaves the Waratahs languishing eight points adrift of the Brumbies on the Australian conference ladder.



