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SYDNEY - The Waratahs are wary of the Umaga factor when the two big underachievers of the 2007 Super rugby tournament meet in Wellington tomorrow in very different circumstances to last season.
After making the semifinals for the past two seasons, both the Waratahs and Hurricanes have endured
a dispiriting fall from grace.
The two teams have fallen further down the ladder than any of their rivals, with the Waratahs plummeting from third to 13th and the Hurricanes sliding from second to eighth.
When the two teams met in the final round in Sydney last year, a home semifinal was on the line; this time pride looms as the major motivator.
"A year is a long time isn't it," Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie said today.
"We've had some pretty healthy games against the Hurricanes in the last few years albeit fairly tight ones and we were both in the semis the last couple of years so by those standards it's been disappointing."
The Hurricanes seem certain to play on greater emotional reserves as they farewell retiring All Blacks great Tana Umaga before an adoring home crowd.
Umaga, who has played 122 Super games for the Hurricanes and is a foundation player of the team, is the most prominent of five departing players.
Forwards Paul Tito, Luke Andrews and Mo Schwalger as well as winger Lome Fa'atau will all be playing their final game for the Hurricanes.
"We've got plenty of motivation to play well in our last game," Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said.
Both McKenzie and returning skipper Phil Waugh, who has missed nine games due to an ankle injury, expect to face a fired up Hurricanes outfit.
"They will be pretty pumped up," McKenzie said.
"We saw (All Blacks loose forward) Jerry Collins with a neck brace on last week and all he was talking about wasn't his own personal injury, he just wanted to get back and play in Tana's last game.
"So there is a fairly high degree of motivation from their perspective, but these sorts of emotional events can be distracting too."
The Waratahs have lost their last three games to the Hurricanes, all by five points or less.
While the Waratahs have managed a miserable tally of just two wins this season, McKenzie pointed out they had pushed the New Zealand teams, all of whom had their All Blacks available against the Waratahs.
"Apart from the Blues game, we've been pretty competitive against the Kiwi sides," McKenzie said.
"They've had all their players back and we lost by one point to the Crusaders and the Highlanders and had a close last try loss to the Chiefs."
Winner Lote Tuqiri and lock Will Caldwell each head into the game having played every minute of the Waratahs' campaign to date.
"The body is certainly feeling it, but it is amazing how much confidence you can earn after playing 80 minutes," Caldwell said.
- AAP
