Waratahs captain Michael Hooper says his side can’t let themselves be sucked into outside noise as they fight to save their Super Rugby season.
NSW has been engulfed by off-field drama this season, much of which has been out of their control, and again this week non-rugby talk has dominated rugby circles.
It’s nothing new for Hooper and as the Waratahs prepare for a must-win derby against the Brumbies, he said they simply couldn’t let themselves be frustrated by outside noise.
“These things happen,” he said.
“What we can focus on is rugby and that's what we have to focus on - we can't let that stuff distract us.
“It has been tough but it is what it is, that's professional sport.”
Hooper said the side was glad to have Tolu Latu back in the fold after the hooker pleaded guilty to a drink driving charge this week.
Latu faced court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to the charge but will not find out his sentence until June 14.
NSW Rugby deemed that it would allow him to play this weekend, pending the outcome of the case next week.
Latu has missed the past two Super Rugby matches, a stand down period that came in a season where he had already had a six-week suspension and missed matches with injury.
He was sent home from the most recent Wallabies camp when news of the charges remained and it is still unclear where he sits in the Test pecking order.
Hooper said while the call was not in his hands the playing group was comfortable with Latu’s response in the wake of the incident.
“This stuff's in the hands of the integrity (unit),” he said.
“As far as a playing group's concerned, he's apologised to the group, he's talked to the group about his actions.
“Now, going forward, it's the integrity unit, it's the Waratahs, it's Horey (NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore) who decides where that lays for now and going forward.”
Hooper said Latu had thrown himself into training in recent weeks despite not being able to play.
“It's been an unfortunate situation, obviously disappointing situation,” he said
“He hasn't been able to be on the field and some of that sort of stuff.
“He's treated it as a little mini preseason in there so he's been working hard, he's still been around the team and delivering what he can off the field for the guys and the hookers in particular.”
Latu’s fate was just one of two major off-field debates on Thursday, a theme that the Waratahs have become used to in a season of controversy that has often been out of their control.
Israel Folau’s move to launch legal action against Rugby AU and NSW Rugby, seeking damages of up to $10 million.
Israel’s brother John was granted a release from his Waratahs contract and it has also emerged that South African signing Le Roux Roets, who is also a member of the Folau’s church and a close friend of John, will not return to the club in 2020.
The Waratahs are adamant Roets’ release was performance-related - the mammoth South African never played for NSW this season - but he is believed to have struggled off the field this season.
Roets is still working with the Waratahs when it comes to his next steps.
On the field, the Waratahs have a huge task this weekend to topple the conference-leading Brumbies at Bankwest Stadium.
The Brumbies have proven themselves to be as adaptable as any side much of the early season focus centring on their set piece and Hooper said they’d be ready for Plan A and beyond.
“We know what their plan A is, we know that their scrum, their maul is very deadly and then you've got some real quality in the backs,” he said.
“It's about just shutting down plan A, seeing what they bring from Plan B and moving on that way.
“And also focusing on us because we feel like we've got a pretty good game plan and we get that right, it's going to be a good game.”
The Waratahs haven’t clinched a win at the new stadium in two attempts and the stakes are as high as ever on Saturday, with their season on the line.
The Waratahs take on the Brumbies on Saturday June 8 at Bankwest Stadium, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS, Kayo and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.
