The Waratahs plan to attack the free-running Chiefs in areas they don’t expect as they prepare to face a potent midfield combination in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash in Hamilton.
With winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma back after bereavement leave, Richard Kahui has moved back to the centres alongside fellow All Black Sonny Bill Williams in the Chiefs’ backline.
Waratahs centre Rob Horne stressed the folly of focusing too much on noted offloader Williams.
“If you focus on one player it’s going to leave holes for every one else and they’ve got plenty of guys outside him,” Horne told reporters on Thursday.
While much of the focus on the New Zealand conference-leading Chiefs has centred on their classy backline, NSW assistant coach Alan Gaffney says they have a very under-rated pack that is clinical in everything they do.
“We believe we can combat their threats and we intend to attack in areas where they may not expect,” Gaffney said.
One thing the Tahs won’t be doing is throwing the ball wider at every opportunity.
“Probably a lot of people think we’ll go out there and just play wide-wide, but that’s not the way we intend to play,” Gaffney said.
“We value and rate the Chiefs a lot better than that, thinking we can just run around them.
“We know we’ve got to do the hard yards through the middle and we know they are pretty tough in the midfield, but then again that’s where we’ve got to attack.”
The Chiefs have reshuffled their back row, with Kane Thompson going to No.8 and Liam Messam to flanker, while Hika Elliot has overcome an eye issue and replaces Mahonri Schwalger at hooker.
NSW hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau declared himself “definitely right to go” on Saturday, after pulling up with sore ribs from last week’s game against the Sharks.
“The medical staff have been really diligent in terms of controlling my contact only because I love that side of the game,” Polota-Nau told AAP.
“There are times in training when contact might happen but I think they’ve controlled it well by giving me an outstanding special bright crimson red bib to say ‘do not touch me.'”
Fellow front-rower and captain Benn Robinson emphasised the need for NSW to post back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
“I think we’re kidding ourselves if we go from a win to a loss and a win to a loss,” Robinson said.
“Two good wins in a row then into a bye week would be very healthy for us.”
He nominated discipline and the elimination of stupid penalties as an area the team needed to improve.
