1 month ago
14
New Waratahs captain Matt Philip says the saga around a pre-season fight between teammates Miles Amatosero and Angus Scott-Young has not created wider fractures within the team, and the combatants are both prepared to meet and bury the hatchet.
Despite only joining the Waratahs late last year, Philip was named NSW captain on Tuesday, replacing long-time skipper Jake Gordon, who has held the role since 2021.
Philip, the 31-year-old lock with 31 Test caps for the Wallabies, was given the nod by coach Dan McKellar for his work ethic and vast experience, having played with the Force, Rebels and Canon Eagles in Japan across an 11-year career.
Just a few weeks into the role, Philip has had his work cut out after a nasty skirmish at training between two of his squad has led to injury, suspension, headlines and a social media spotlight.
Amatosero will miss both of the Waratahs trials in the next 10 days for his involvement in a training ground fight with Scott-Young, which saw the latter suffer a fractured eye socket. Footage shows Amatosero landed five punches on Scott-Young, who also only just joined the Tahs and was unimpressed the incident was not immediately dealt with by the Waratahs and RA.
A disciplinary investigation was belatedly launched and, two weeks after the punch-up, Amatosero’s suspension was announced at the weekend.
New Waratahs captain Matt Philip and coach Dan McKellar.Credit: Hugo Carr/Waratahs
The pair have not trained together since and a reconciliation ahead of the Super Rugby season was complicated by online comments of Scott-Young’s father - ex-Wallaby Sam Scott-Young - at the weekend, who called for Amatosero to be sacked, challenged him to a fight and used a term many regard as a racial slur.
Philip said the training flare-up was “unfortunate” but said a good resolution had been reached after the process run by the Waratahs and RA. He stressed the incident had not caused any wider problems in team harmony.
“There’s been no impact on team connection. We all care about both players. As I said, it’s a really unfortunate incident, but I think we’re ready to move on,” Philip said.
“Miles obviously [will] spend a little bit of time away from the club now, but when he comes back, I’m sure we’ll be on a united front. Both players will learn from this and we’re happy to move forward. We’re super connected here at the Waratahs.”
Miles Amatosero was suspended for two trial matches.Credit: Steven Siewert
Asked if he would have a role in facilitating a reconciliation between Amatosero and Scott-Young before the season starts, Philip said: “I’ve spoken to them both ... they’re more than happy to meet together and talk, to put this behind them. It was an unfortunate incident.
“We’re training at high intensity here, you know, [in] very hot weather sometimes as well. This is going to happen. It’s very unfortunate and I don’t think it will happen again, but, yeah, we want results here and that’s the kind of intensity we’ve been putting into the pre-season.
“I’m very confident they’re both going to put it behind them and it’s not going to have any effect on the team culture or connection.
“Speaking to the boys from last year, the difference between where we’re at now and where we were at this stage of the pre-season last year is chalk and cheese. So, yeah, we are pretty happy to put that [fight] to bed.”
Philip grew up as a Tahs supporter on Sydney’s northern beaches and later emerged at Sydney Uni and in the Waratahs academy, including as captain of the NSW under 20s.
But the captain will also be making his Super Rugby debut for NSW on February 13, after Philip was forced to move west and join the Western Force in 2015 to get a start. He later joined the Rebels in 2018, and then moved offshore in 2020, playing for Pau in France and then the Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan.
He said he jumped at the chance to sign with NSW when McKellar called about a return.
“I’ve gone kind of full circle. I had to go to a lot of places over a decade to come back and be able to play here,” Philip said. “[Becoming captain] is probably the biggest moment in my career. I grew up supporting the Tahs, I am a New South Welshman.
“Me and Jake Gordon are really good friends, we played together through our juniors and been mates for a long time, and he’s obviously done a great job over the last five years. Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure and expectation that comes along with being a captain.
“To have him by my side during this as well, it’s going to be great … I’ll be leaning on him a lot throughout the season.”
Most Viewed in Sport
Loading
