Rugby union: Wildfires take positives from NSW Waratahs hit-out

The Wildfires, West Harbour and Western Sydney each played 20 minutes against a Tahs outfit, minus their Wallabies, at Eric Tweedle Stadium on Saturday.

"It was a bit scrappy but we got everything we wanted from it," Coleman said, who locked horns with his older brother, Waratahs coach, Darren. "It was our first competitive trial. We knew we would be off the pace with our structures

"It highlighted to the boys the work that has to be done.

"We put our strongest squad on against the Waratahs. They scored three tries off our mistakes, which will happen, but we were the only side to score against them. It was a really good team try. A backline move from phase play. Tom Watson went through off a short ball from Lona Halaholo. Winger Mike Saili ended up scoring in the corner."

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The Wildfires lost breakaway Tieuti Asi and Tonga centre Nafi Tuitavake, who had positive Rapid Antigen Tests for COVID-19 on match day. However, both returned negative tests on Sunday.

Watson made the most of the move from wing to outside centre and along with lock Rob Puli'uvea and No.8 Haloholo were the Wildfires' best.

"Tom Watson had a good game at 13," Coleman said. "He defended well and straightened our attack," Coleman said. "Lona was strong. Rob Puli'uvea was quite good. He made a couple of cover tackle, got through a lot of work and didn't stop talking all day."

Meanwhile AAP reports, with a record fourth John Eales Medal in his pocket, Michael Hooper can argue he has earned the strategic rest that will rule him out of the early rounds of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Hooper on Sunday was named the best Australian rugby union player for the second successive year, the Wallabies captain an obvious choice for the peer-voted award after a tireless campaign.

The victory pushes him clear of three-time winner Israel Folau and confirms his status in the game -- having gone past George Gregan as Australia's most-capped skipper.

Hooper admitted the logistics of a COVID-19-hit 2021 had tested the indefatigable flanker.

A foot injury eventually stopped him though, ruling him out of Australia's final Test of the season.

He also tested positive for COVID-19, keeping him off his feet and slowing the rehabilitation process as the back-rower eyes a Waratahs return "after the first couple of rounds".

But some contractually-negotiated downtime meant Hooper would have been off the park anyway, with an eye to the 2023 World Cup.

"This (extra time off) was put in back then (to his 2018 contract) to give me a great 18-month shot come 2023," he said. "It's a tough one, because you don't want to miss out; when you start thinking about missing games and not being involved, you get a bit antsy."