By Iain Payten
Incumbent Wallabies star Andrew Kellaway has been omitted from the Waratahs team for the Super Rugby Pacific season opener on Friday night, with an uncapped rookie preferred at fullback to meet Queensland at Allianz Stadium.
The selection of Randwick flyer Jimmy Hendren over Kellaway in the No.15 is one of several noteworthy calls by Waratahs coach Dan McKellar, who also wasted no time in bringing back Miles Amatosero back to the starting side, despite having been exiled for two weeks following his fight with Angus Scott-Young.
James Hendren on the burst against the Brumbies.Credit: Waratahs
Captain Matt Philip will be one of eight players making their Waratahs debuts against the Reds, alongside Hendren, Pete Samu, Clem Halaholo, Harry Potter, Folau Faingaa, Angus Blyth and Jack Debreczeni.
But while McKellar had tough choices that saw Wallabies left out of his 23, Reds counterpart Les Kiss had to deal with injuries to seven capped Test players, including Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, Carter Gordon and Tom Lynagh.
Amatosero only returned to NSW headquarters at the weekend after serving a two-week suspension for punching Scott-Young, and the big lock not only missed the Tahs’ trials but was not even permitted to train or attend NSW Rugby facilities as part of his penalty, which also involved counselling.
But after a hatchet was buried at a meeting between Scott-Young and Amatosero on Friday last week, with a mediator, the lock was called straight back into the Waratahs team. Scott-Young was not considered due to a calf strain.
Hendren, 23, and flanker Halaholo, 22 have both been rewarded for outstanding form in the Super Rugby AUS competition in September and October, which the Waratahs won.
Hendren, a product of rugby nursery St Joseph’s College, scored four tries in the Waratahs’ win over Queensland at Narrabri and has been a consistent running threat over the past few seasons for Randwick. Former Wicks coach Stephen Hoiles once described 190cm Hendren as a “Ferrari” who plays like Manly NRL star Tom Trbojevic.
Hendren’s selection came ahead of not only Kellaway, but two other Wallabies: Max Jorgensen – who also played fullback for Australia last year – and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who played no.15 for NSW last year but has been shifted to outside centre for the opener against Queensland.
With Test winger Harry Potter also having joined NSW and Triston Reilly preferred on the bench, there was no room for Kellaway, who played 10 Tests last year and is the Tahs’ most experienced outside back, with 84 Super Rugby games.
Andrew Kellaway scores a try against Argentina last year.Credit: Getty Images
“He [Hendren] has been in our pathway for a number of years and trained with us full-time last year,” McKellar said.
“He performed well for Randwick … and got an opportunity in the Super AU competition and took it, and he’s backed it up with a really good preseason. We’ve got plenty of quality and depth that can play at 15, so he’s done well to earn the first opportunity.”
Asked about Kellaway’s situation, McKellar said the 30-year-old would benefit from more training weeks.
“Kels just got to keep working hard,” he said. “The boys that returned from the Wallaby environment had a really long and challenging 2025.
“Kels is a quality player and he’ll play plenty of Super Rugby in 2026, there’s no doubt. We just saw an extra week of training and just getting some more metres in the legs would be good for him. And also, Jimmy Hendren performed well and has earned a crack.”
Elsewhere in the backline, Lawson Creighton has been preferred to Debreczeni and Jack Bowen at five-eighth, and halfback Jake Gordon will start ahead of Teddy Wilson.
Halaholo has barged down the door for a starting role in the Waratahs’ forward pack. The Waverley College and Sydney University product won the man-of-the-match in the Tahs’ Super Rugby AUS grand final victory over the Western Force. He continued his form in two trial wins over Queensland and the Brumbies.
At 104kg and 193cm, Halaholo’s power in contact has had him marked as a player to watch for several years. He played for the Junior Wallabies in 2023.
“He’s worked incredibly hard, he’s been in our program a while and been in our pathway system for a number of years,” McKellar said. “He’s a big damaging ball runner, got good footwork for a big man and deserves an opportunity.”
Elsewhere, Samu will also make his Waratahs debut at No.8, and Ethan Dobbins has held on to the No.2 jersey ahead of Faingaa, who will debut in sky blue from the bench. Former Reds stalwart Blyth will make his NSW debut from the bench.
The Reds will start with green halves pair Louis Werchon and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips as the No.9 and No.10, and the uncapped Vaiuta Latu will also wear the No.8 in Wilson’s absence.
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