Michael Cheika gambles with forward-heavy Waratahs bench for showdown against Highlanders

WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika is gambling with six forwards on his bench for Sunday’s showdown against the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium.

Michael Hooper and Rob Horne during the Waratahs Super Rugby Captain's Run at Allianz Stadium, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika is gambling with six forwards on his bench for Sunday’s showdown against the Highlanders, leaving out back-up playmaker Jono Lance in favour of lineout jumper Mitchell Chapman.

The move signals that NSW will look to play a power game against the Kiwis, who are masters of playing without the ball. Statistics show they have the least amount of possession in the competition yet are challenging to win the New Zealand conference.

Chapman has been sidelined for most of the year with an ankle injury, but has made a strong return through the Shute Shield with Eastern Suburbs in the past fortnight.

His return has coincided with the loss of skipper Dave Dennis, who was chief lineout caller and a key jumper.

Lock Will Skelton will come off the bench, but the 140kg behemoth rarely jumps, while backrower Pat McCutcheon also returns to the bench with Stephen Hoiles stepping up to replace Dennis in the starting side at blindside flanker.

The six-two split on the bench leaves NSW light on playmaking options if either Bernard Foley or Kurtley Beale are injured.

It would mean the backs would move in one position, with reserve winger Taqele Naiyaravaro and halfback Brendan McKibbin the only spare backs.

New Waratahs captain Michael Hooper embraced the Highlanders’ claims that all the pressure would be on the top-of-the-table NSW at Allianz Stadium.

“It’s good pressure to have, coming into this end of the season. We’re about to go into finals footy, there’s going to be pressure every week,” Hooper said.

“So it’s good to get a test this weekend, see if we can better our chances on the final ladder.”

It has been a dramatic rise for Hooper, having assumed the Wallabies and Waratahs captaincy in the past month.

“For me, there hasn’t been much time for reflection. It was the halfway point of the year (on Thursday), it feels so quick and in another six months’ time we’re at the end of the year. Then maybe I’ll have a look back on it,” he said.

Originally published as Michael Cheika gambles with forward-heavy Waratahs bench for showdown against Highlanders