Super Rugby: Desperate Waratahs On A Crusade Against History
by Paul Cook -
February 21st 2004. John Howard was in his third term as Prime Minister, Shannon Noll was at no.1 with ‘What About Me?’ (oh dear) and Black Caviar was still a mere glint in Bel Esprits' eyes.
Amazing to think that this was also the day when the NSW Waratahs last beat the Crusaders, 43-19, in the opening round of the 2004 Super Rugby season. Nine long suffering years for supporters, players and coaches alike and not another victory in a competitive fixture between the two Antipodean heavyweights has gone the way of the men in Cambridge Blue.
The record makes for damning reading: Played 10 Won 0 Lost 10 For 235 Against 299
They’ve been close. They lost by only a point in 2007 and by 4pts in 2009 and again last year in Sydney, where an impressive effort from what was - at the time - a str