After a third consecutive narrow defeat, the Waratahs return from Fiji with their Super Rugby season on the line in a must-win game against the Rebels on Friday.

An agonising 39-36 defeat to the Drua leaves the Waratahs with one win from five games, mirroring their record at the same stage last season and leaving coach Darren Coleman under increasing pressure to prove he is the man to lead NSW forward.

Asked about his feelings on Coleman’s future, Wallabies and Waratahs breakaway Ned Hanigan said that the sole focus for the players would be on performing against the Rebels at Allianz Stadium.

“Jeez, that’s [Coleman’s future] out of our hands a little bit,” Hanigan said. “We just need to keep performing for him, the coaches and the people that mean plenty to us, our fans.

“We’re back home next week against a good Melbourne outfit and you’ll see again the guts and determination to come up with the result.”

Against the Drua, Waratahs were once again frustrated by their inability to close out a winnable game, leaving the coaching staff with more questions than answers. Though the margin of defeat was similar in the Waratahs’ two-point loss against the Blues last week, the contest in Fiji was a far closer affair.

The Waratahs gave themselves a mountain to climb with a poor first half against the Drua, but after the rain cooled the temperatures slightly for the second half, they fought back through tries from Charlie Gamble, Joey Walton, Mahe Vailanu and Lachlan Swinton to level the scores.

The Waratahs had a golden opportunity to win the game with a drop goal in extra time from five-eighth Tane Edmed, but it hit the upright and soon after the Drua made them pay when the boot of Kemu Valetini clinched the Fijian side’s first win over the Waratahs.