13/05/2008 11:21

Sydney - The Waratahs arrived back in Sydney after their two week tour of South Africa, but their gear failed to accompany them on their trip.

The side's preparation for Saturday's crunch game against fierce rivals the Reds in Brisbane have been disrupted with 104 of the squad's 109 pieces of luggage not making it home.

After an arduous 18-hour journey from Cape Town the players faced every traveller's worst nightmare when they discovered their gear had not followed them back to Sydney.

"We've got no clothes or boots or mouthguards," skipper Phil Waugh told the Daily Telegraph.

The only equipment which made it back to Australia were a few rugby balls, tackle bags and hit pads.

"They just told us now none of it came," said coach Ewen McKenzie after passing through customs.

"We sat in Johannesburg for an hour and a half because of baggage issues, so I don't know what they were doing.

"They were shuffling around the deckchairs and there was obviously nothing there," added a frustrated McKenzie.

The players may be asked to wear their club gear or squeeze into their old school jerseys for Tuesday's training session.

"We'll have to do a bit of fudging," McKenzie said. "We are a pretty good team at adapting - we certainly don't look to use it as an excuse.

"We will make the best of it. I'm sure we will get a laugh out of it on Tuesday."

Baggage theft in South Africa has hit the headlines in recent months, with a number of passengers - both domestic and international - arriving sans their luggage.