NSW Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson says he’s happy with the progress his squad has made since this year’s disastrous Super Rugby campaign came to an end in July. While a host of the Tahs bigger names have impressed for the Wallabies, the three NSW NRC sides have struggled to compete against some of the more experienced teams in the competition, however Gibson said he’s not overly concerned with the poor results. “The NSW teams are further down on the ladder compared to previous years but I think the competition is certainly giving players opportunities like it was designed to,” Gibson said. “It’s a necessary part of the rugby pathway in this country now and in NSW, giving our guys exposure to this level of rugby is critical, particularly for the younger players.” After a short break at the end of the Super Rugby season, the non-Wallaby squad members returned to training as part of a “transformation group” and began a pre-preseason at the Waratahs, on top of