There were plenty of familiar faces missing, but Waratahs still managed to pile on the points against Griffith on Saturday.
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With only five members from the starting line up in last year's grand final win playing at Kapooka, the Wagga club still kept the Blacks on the hunt for their first win of the season.
Waratahs started well and took a 22-5 lead into half-time before recovering from a slow start to the second stanza to run out 41-15 winners.
With Matt Shortis (hamstring), Ken Baker (shoulder) and Sam Bunny (concussion) out injured, plus Jock Munro and Euan Bonner unavailable Waratahs had to call on their depth.
However the found more than enough answers.
Coach Angus Macleod was pleased with the performance.
“It was a good win,” Macleod said.
“We played the first half well, the second half we started a bit slow and they certainly picked up their game, but we finished off well.”
Waratahs weren’t helped by an early shoulder injury to Joe Mullany.
It forced Harry Hosegood to play plenty of minutes after backing up from second grade, but we was still among his team’s best.
Sean Kearns also led from the front, buoyed by playing in front of his colleagues the army base, while Rhys Greentree had a strong game at halfback.
Macleod was impressed with the hospitality offered by the Riverina Army Rugby Club.
“It was a good day to be out at Kapooka and they put on a good show,” he said.
Waratahs now head to Albury while the Blacks are hoping they can finally taste success against a CSU outfit also searching for a drought-breaking win.