The 2025 New South Wales Waratahs season was their 29th and most recent season in the Super Rugby since entering the professional era in 1996. Although the pre-season began in 2024 with a tour to Japan, the domestic season began in February 2025 and finished in May, before playing a one-off home fixture against the touring British & Irish Lions in July 2025.
In June 2025 it was announced by Rugby Australia (RA) that a new domestic competition, Super Rugby AUS, would be begin in September 2025. The new competition would only consist of the four Australian Super Rugby franchises: the ACT Brumbies, New South Wales Waratahs, Queensland Reds, and the Western Force, and would largely be in place to support a professional pathway from amateur rugby to professional rugby, as well as non-international Australian players post-Super Rugby season.
In May 2024 the New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU) confirmed that New South Wales Waratahs head coach since 2021, Darren Coleman, would be released at the conclusion of the 2024 season. At the time of the announcement Coleman's injury-plagued Waratahs had won just two matches from twelve, and sat bottom of the ladder. At the end of the 2023 season the Waratahs had finished sixth on the seasonal ladder, as they did the previous season, and were knocked out of the Finals in the Quarter-finals stage. Coleman stated to The Sydney Morning Herald immediately following the season that although he loved the job, he did not feel great, stating: âÂÂI firmly believe we are trending in the right way... We haven't spoken about an extension, and nor would I expect them to come to me, given the season we just had. I'll keep my head down, work hard, get results next year and hopefully stay on if they want me. If not, I get it, youâÂÂve got to win and win championships to keep the job.â When Coleman was announced as the new head coach on a three-year deal in July 2021 he was reported to be one of four final candidates vying for the position, which included Australia women's sevens coach John Manenti; Western Force assistant and former Fiji head coach John McKee; and Cardiff head coach John Mulvihill. Under Coleman's tenure (2022âÂÂ2024) the Waratahs obtained a 36% win ratio.
Following the announcement that Coleman's contract would not be extended, The Sydney Morning Herald cited Michael Cheika, Nathan Grey, Stephen Hoiles and John Manenti as potential front-runners for the role, and published an article focused specifically on National Rugby League-linked, former Waratahs coach Michael Cheika. Later that same day (21 May 2024), the same publication gave readers a poll of six candidates, asking: âÂÂWho should be the next Waratahs coach?â Michael Cheika was polled the highest at 39%, with almost 4,000 votes cast. The following month they published an article discussing four candidates with high-level experience: Nathan Grey, Andy Friend, Michael Cheika and Kevin Foote. In late June, following expressions of interest from the Waratahs, former Australia and England attack coach Scott Wisemantel was put forward as a potential candidate, according to confidential sources. Finally on 3 July 2024 it was confirmed that the new coach of the Waratahs was Dan McKellar. McKellar signed on a three-year deal, and was immediately considered the front-runner for the job upon news of his sacking and replacement for Michael Cheika as head coach of English club Leicester Tigers just two weeks earlier. McKellar was joined by former Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui as Director of Performance alongside England international veteran and former Ireland attack coach Mike Catt. All three would serve as part of the teams high-performance staff.
After a very active off-season with transfers, the Waratahs announced their pre-season squad to tour Japan in November 2024 with new coach Dan McKellar. The squad included a sizeable youth contingent and various new signings. Only one player was signed in 2025, with the earliest signing for the 2025 season being "dual code" international Joseph Sua'ali'i in March 2023.
The Waratahs' squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season was announced on 12 November 2024.