The Waratahs return to the Super 14 semi-finals in 2010 Super 14 season was highlighted along the way by a number of team and individual milestones.
The nine regular season victories - which ties the team record - were driven by an undefeated season at home with five victories at the Sydney Football Stadium and the team's first ever win at ANZ Stadium.
The team scored its highest number of points in a Super 14 season (391), which was the result of a record number of tries (45).
This match drew Australia's biggest Super 14 crowd of the season (40,271) which was the largest Australian Super Rugby crowd since 2004 and the Tahs' biggest crowd since 2002.
The total average crowd for the season grew by almost 2% to over 24,000 despite the Tahs' not facing any of the top five teams at home.
Daniel Halangahu played his 50th match for NSW against the Stormers in Round 2, with Lachie Turner reaching the mark in Round 8 against the Cheetahs. In doing so, Turner (22y 327d) passed Tatafu Polota-Nau (23y 259d) as the youngest player to reach the mark.
In the final round of the regular season, Kurtley Beale (21y 128d) took the record from Turner in his 50th state appearance.
Al Baxter became just the fourth Waratah to reach 100 Super Rugby caps for NSW against the Cheetahs, and then went past David Lyons (100) and finished the season on 105 caps to be the third most-capped Waratah in Super Rugby behind Waugh (122*) and Whitaker (107).
In round two Will Caldwell (61*) went past Tom Bowman (53) to become the state's most-capped lock in Super Rugby, and Turner became the 24th Waratah to reach 50 Super Rugby caps in the semi-final against the Stormers.
The match against the Lions in round five set a host of new Super Rugby records for the Waratahs including the highest score and biggest winning margin (73-12), most tries by a player in a game (Drew Mitchell 4) and the most conversions by a player in a game (Berrick Barnes 9).
Throughout the season the Waratahs also raised funds for their principal charity, The Spastic Centre, to help children with cerebral palsy. The highlight of the season was the online auction of the commemorative jerseys worn against the Hurricanes in the final match of the season. All up, the Waratahs raised $94,839 for the Spastic Centre over the course of the season.
2010 INDIVIDUAL MILESTONES
Debutants
Sosene Anesi - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Berrick Barnes - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Kane Douglas - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Cam Jowitt - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Drew Mitchell - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Rory Sidey - Round 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park
Hendrik Roodt - Round 2 v Stormers, Newlands
Chris Alcock - Round 8 v Cheetahs, Sydney Football Stadium
Locky McCaffrey - Round 8 v Cheetahs, Sydney Football Stadium
Pat McCutcheon - Round 12 v Highlanders, Rugby Park Invercargill
100 Super Rugby Caps
Al Baxter - Round 8 v Cheetahs, Sydney Football Stadium
50 Super Rugby Caps
Lachie Turner - Semi-Final v Stormers, Newlands
50 NSW Caps
Daniel Halangahu - Round 2 v Stormers, Newlands
Lachie Turner - Round 8 v Cheetahs, Sydney Football Stadium (Youngest ever, passing Tatafu Polota-Nau)
Kurtley Beale - Round 14 v Hurricanes, Sydney Football Stadium (Youngest ever, passing Lachie Turner)
ALL-TIME INDIVIDUAL RECORDS SET IN 2010
Most NSW Caps: Phil Waugh 127* (118 by Chris Whitaker)
Most Matches as NSW Captain: Phil Waugh 49* (Chris Whitaker 40)
Most Wins as NSW Captain: Phil Waugh 29* (Chris Whitaker 25)
SUPER RUGBY INDIVIDUAL RECORDS SET IN 2010
Most Super Rugby Matches as Captain: 47* by Phil Waugh (40 by Chris Whitaker)
Most Super Rugby Wins as Captain: 29* by Phil Waugh (25 by Chris Whitaker)
Most Super Rugby Caps as Lock: 61* by Will Caldwell (53 by Tom Bowman)
Most Individual Tries in a Super Rugby Match: 4 by Drew Mitchell v Lions, SFS (3 by Alistair Murdoch v Wellington, SFS 1996; 3 by Matt Burke v Northern Transvaal, SFS 1997; 3 by Semi Taupeaafe v Coastal Sharks, SFS 1998; 2 by Scott Staniforth v Chiefs, Rotorua 2002; 3 by Peter Hewat v Bulls, SFS 2005)
Most Individual Conversions in a Super Rugby Match: 9 by Berrick Barnes v Lions, SFS (6 by Matt Burke v Cats, SFS 2000; 6 by Matt Burke v Bulls, SFS 2001; 6 by Matt Burke v Chiefs, Rotorua 2002; 6 by Mat Rogers v Sharks, SFS 2004; 6 by Peter Hewat v Cats, SFS 2006)
Most Individual Drop Goals for NSW in Super Rugby: 3 by Berrick Barnes (3 by Kurtley Beale 2007-10)
Most Individual Drop Goals in a Super Rugby Season: 3 by Berrick Barnes (2 by Kurtley Beale 2008)
Most Individual Drop Goals in a Super Rugby Match: 1 by Berrick Barnes v Queensland Reds, Lang Park; 1 by Berrick Barnes v Bulls, Pretoria; 1 v Berrick Barnes v Stormers (s/f), Cape Town (1 by Nathan Grey v Stormers, Cape Town 2002; 1 by Duncan McRae v Hurricanes, SFS 2002; 1 by Matt Dunning v Chiefs, SFS 2003; 1 by Shaun Berne v Bulls, SFS 2005; 1 by Kurtley Beale v Bulls, Pretoria 2008; 1 by Kurtley Beale v Sharks, SFS 2008; 1 by Kurtley Beale v Chiefs, SFS 2009)
SUPER RUGBY TEAM RECORDS SET IN 2010
Most Team Points in a Super Rugby Season: 391 (362 in 2006)
Highest Score in a Super Rugby Match: 73 v Lions, SFS (53 v Bulls, SFS 2001)
Biggest Super Rugby Win: 73-12 v Lions, SFS (50-3 v Cats, SFS 2006)
Most Regular Season Wins in a Super Rugby Season: 9 (9 in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009)
Most Consecutive Wins in a Super Rugby Season: 5 (5 in 2002, twice in 2005, 2006 and 2008)
Most Team Tries in a Super Rugby Season: 45 (43 in 2005)
Most Team Conversions in a Super Rugby Season: 32 (32 in 2004)
Most Team Drop Goals in a Super Rugby Season: 3 (2 in 2002, 2008)
Most Team Tries in a Super Rugby Match: 11 v Lions, SFS (8 v Bulls, Pretoria 2002)
Most Team Conversions in a Super Rugby Match: 9 v Lions, SFS (6 v Cats, SFS 2000; 6 v Bulls, SFS 2001; 6 v Chiefs, Rotorua 2002; 6 v Cats, Bloemfontein 2003; 6 v Sharks, SFS 2004; 6 v Cats, SFS 2006)
Most Team Drop Goals in a Super Rugby Match: 1 v Queensland Reds, Lang Park, 1 v Bulls, Pretoria, 1 v Stormers (s/f), Cape Town (1 v Stormers, Cape Town 2002; 1 v Hurricanes, SFS 2002; 1 v Chiefs, SFS 2003; 1 v Bulls, SFS 2005; 1 v Bulls, Pretoria 2008; 1 v Sharks, SFS 2008; 1 v Chiefs, SFS 2009)
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