“Training and games [is] a separate thing but for me, definitely playing with that edge and that physicality and that aggression – but without going over – is a strength of mine,” he said. “Every day I’m trying to build on that, and game by game I’m hoping to get better at that.“
Rivals have also duly leaned into trying to bait the occasionally hot-headed Amatosero to stepping over the line, however, and he expects it will continue in the wake of the Scott-Young incident.
“To be honest with you, that’s how it’s been my entire footy career. Again, just because I’ve been that physical sort of player that most teams come looking for that anyway, regardless of what’s happened,” he said.
Angus Scott-Young joined the Waratahs in December.Credit: Instagram/Waratahs
“Nothing’s really changed, really. For as long as I’ve been playing, it’s been like that. So it’s getting easier for me.“
The sanctions imposed on Amatosero from RA and the Waratahs include several education and counselling courses, and the big lock said the work “bettered me as a person”.
Prevented from being at the Waratahs’ facility, Amatosero and trained on his own at 6am at Snape Park in Maroubra – with a Waratahs physio given the thankless task of holding a tackle shield – and at a public gym in Bondi Junction.
“It was so tough [being offsite],” he said. “My biggest thing is the boys and the team, and being away from them, and sort of seeing how initially how it affected the team, really hurt. But the boys moved on quickly.
“There was a lot of people helping. I spoke to a lot of different people, but just mainly “BJ” (general manager Barrie-Jon Mather) and talking a lot with Dan (McKellar), just guiding me through the next few weeks, because I didn’t really know what they were going to look like as far a playing point of view. But they put me at ease and I got to work.”
Amatosero is chasing a debut for the Wallabies this year, and says playing at the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year is the dream. The immediate focus is playing with consistency for the Waratahs.
While Tahs officials may instinctively wince at his word choices – given the last month – Amatosero believes the depth and competition for spots at the Waratahs can help them turn a corner and succeed in 2026.
“Training sessions have become very competitive because we’re all trying to fight for that jersey, and it could be anyone named on the weekend,” he said.
Loading
“No matter how tired, no matter how buggered you are, you’re fighting for that mate next to you and I think it’s starting to show.
“Being Sydney-born and raised, you can feel the frustration with a lot of the fan base and the community and I think everyone is getting behind us and feeling what we’re feeling about. We’ve got something good this year and this season and yeah, it’s exciting.”
