NSW Waratahs have chance to stake claim for Wallabies spots when they take on Ewen McKenzie-coached Reds

EWEN McKenzie's sudden appointment as Wallabies coach could come with a sting in the tail for Queensland.

EWEN McKenzie's sudden appointment as Wallabies coach could come with a sting in the tail for Queensland, with Waratahs players well aware they've only got one game to impress the new boss for a Bledisloe Cup call-up.

The dilemma for McKenzie? The best impression of NSW stars could be made by the Tahs knocking off the Reds on Saturday night in Sydney, which in turn would majorly dent the title hopes of McKenzie's side on the eve of the finals.

Kiwi and African teams have been back into Super Rugby for a fortnight, but due to the Lions tour hiatus, Australian sides only resume this weekend for a solitary round.The Brumbies have already secured the conference title, and results while Australians were on break also saw Queensland lock in a Super Rugby finals berth.

The top six teams can't change but crucial finishing positions are mostly yet to be decided.

Against expectation, results over the last fortnight will see the Brumbies heading to Perth still a chance to claim the minor premiership or a top-two finish, with victory and favourable results elsewhere.

Queensland's chances of going deep into the finals hinge heavily on their finishing spot as well. If the Hurricanes beat the Crusaders tomorrow night, a Reds victory over NSW would see them host the Cantabrians at Suncorp a week later.

With the Cheetahs pocketing four points for a bye and holding a better for-and-against, a Reds loss would see them finish sixth and given a week one road trip to Canberra, Waikato or Pretoria.

Injury-enforced absences of Will Genia and James Horwill have already made it tough, and the Tahs' ambition to finish strongly - and jump on McKenzie's radar for good measure - will ensure it's no finals tune-up for the Reds.

McKENZIE NO SOFT TOUCH

The Brumbies could potentially feel the McKenzie factor as well in Perth, with a few Test squad members from their opponents the Force similarly itching for a game, said NSW captain Dave Dennis.

"The guys who didn't get much time (in the Lions series), myself, Rob Horne, Nick Cummins, Hugh McMeniman, there's a few guys who only have one opportunity to show what they could have brought through that series and what they can bring moving forward," Dennis said. "I'm keen to get out there, I haven't had a game for a while and if it's Ewen, he'll be sitting next to the sideline. Link signed me (to NSW), hopefully he'll still have a bit of love."

Personal ambitions will be set aside for the Waratahs' Test aspirants, however. They can't make the finals but in many ways, believes Dennis, the performance at ANZ Stadium will be the most important of the year.

"We talked about it yesterday, the attitude and the culture that we're trying to change is that it's not a nothing game for us," Dennis said.

"We can't make the finals, it's only one game after a long lay-off, so we really have to show what we've done this year."

Currently third, the Brumbies remain a realistic chance of finishing first if they beat the Force, the Chiefs fall to the Blues in Auckland and the Bulls fall to the Stormers in Cape Town.

Both could easily happen, but even one upset - and an elevation into second place - could prove vital for the Brumbies' hopes of winning the competition.

In third, the Brumbies would host the Cheetahs or Queensland in week one and then, in all probability, need to win win twice on the road to lift the trophy.

In first or second, they would have a week off before hosting a semi-final, and if minor-premiers, a victory would see them host the final.