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The NSW Waratahs have named an unchanged team to line up against the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final this Saturday at ANZ Stadium.
There would have been a temptation to switch the young powerhouse lock Will Skelton to the starting team in place of Jacques Potgieter, but the consistent and aggressive performances of the busy South African means he remains at number 4 for the final.
Potgieter has been one of the Waratahs’ best through the year, with Michael Cheika preferring to use Skelton off the bench in a majority of recent fixtures, and inject him into the game early in the second half.
The dynamic backline that has served the Waratahs so well through the year remains crucially intact.
The biggest concern for Cheika would have to be the line-out. They are coming up against a strong set-piece outfit in the Crusaders, meaning Tatafu Polota-Nau will again be under pressure to make sure the Waratahs are securing their ball.
Cheika admitted as much, saying the Waratahs will need to focus on the set piece.
“The Crusaders are a powerful unit who really focus on their set piece and will be confident after taking apart a strong Sharks outfit,” he said.
But Cheika backed his star-studded backline to cause the seven-time champions plenty of trouble.
“We’ve got to keep pushing, holding on is not enough. We will go out there, play as we have all season and play good attacking footy and give them some trouble.”
Stephen Hoiles has been the preferred jumper in the absence of Dave Dennis, and the Waratahs will need to vary their targets in the lineout if they are to make sure they are winning possession from their own throw.
Polota-Nau says he remains focussed on the job at hand, and isn’t worrying about the jumpers the Crusaders have at their disposal.
“I will be taking this game as if it was my last, not worrying about what they are doing will be the key to victory against the Crusaders.”
Matt Carraro and Peter Betham have been named on an extended bench for the Waratahs, but the rest of the starting lineup and bench remains the same.
Waratahs team to take on the Crusaders
1. Benn Robinson, 2.Tatafu Polota Nau, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Jacques Potgieter, 5. Kane Douglas, 6. Stephen Hoiles, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Wycliff Palu, 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Bernard Foley, 11. Rob Horne, 12. Kurtley Beale, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Alofa Alofa, 15. Israel FolauReplacements: 16. Tolu Latu, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Paddy Ryan, 19. Will Skelton, 20. Mitchell Chapman, 21. Pat McCutcheon, 22. Brendan McKibbin, 23. Taqele Naiyaravoro, 24. Matt Carraro, 25. Peter Betham
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