Michael Cheika says Waratahs need to take game to a new level if they’re to defeat Chiefs

MICHAEL Cheika is demanding an effort unlike any other the Waratahs have put out in 2014, declaring they must “turn up the dial” against the Chiefs.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Waratahs coach Michael Cheika talks to players as they warm up during the round 14 Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and the Lions at Allianz Stadium on May 18, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

MICHAEL Cheika is demanding a performance unlike any other the Waratahs have put out in 2014, declaring they must “turn up the dial” against defending champions the Chiefs on Saturday afternoon.

The Waratahs arrived in New Plymouth on Friday, steeling themselves for the ultimate test against the side that has won back-to-back Super Rugby titles.

“We’ve got to turn up the dial higher than we have ever turned it up before,” Cheika told News Corp Australia on the eve of their biggest game of the season.

“That’s what we want to do now, keep improving in this back half of the season.

“Everyone wants to knock off the defending champions.

“If we get a win over here, it’s a big bonus for us, we’ll keep ourselves well and truly in pole position.

“But we understand that to win here, we’ve got to work harder than the Chiefs, and they’re the premiers at working hard.

“So we need to take that title off them this weekend if we’re a chance of winning.”

While NSW is second and the Chiefs are eighth on the ladder, they are separated by just four competition points on the congested table, making this looming result crucial for the top-two finals of both sides.

Cheika freely admitted that his side has looked to the Chiefs for inspiration in their own quest to win a maiden premiership.

“They’ve got great work ethic, a very good behaviour pattern around the team, and they’ve linked with their community really well,” Cheika said.

“They’ve got a really good little thing happening, and we’ve made no secret of the fact they’re a team we admire, in the way they’ve gone about their business.

“There’s nothing wrong with looking at the best in the game and trying to put them in your sights, that’s what we want to do.

“It’s a real good challenge for us and where we sit on the ladder.”

A bonus-point victory here could have NSW sitting on top of the ladder leading into the June Test series break, with only three regular season games remaining against the Brumbies, Highlanders, and Reds – who are all struggling for a finals place and in Queensland’s case, out of the reckoning.

“This will be a great battle, physical, mental, and rugby,” Cheika said.

“We’ve got to get ourselves in there and have a crack with the best.

“This will have to be a 23-man effort because it’s going to go down to the end, they’ve shown their excellence at taking games to the wire this season.

“They’ve come back from two lost causes for draws in South Africa, and come back and won some hard games just through sheer hard work and determination.

“And so have we, we’ve come back from a couple of games where we were down and out as well.

“It’s just a matter of not getting overawed by the whole event.”

Cheika named an unchanged side from the one that hammered Melbourne Rebels last weekend, while the Chiefs have made an incredible eight changes to their starting side including two positional switches.

Master five-eighth Aaron Cruden comes into the starting side after coming off the bench last week in his return from a broken thumb.

Andrew Horrell and the dangerous Tim Nanai-Williams form a new centre combination while Tom Marshall moves into fullback.

Liam Squire moves off the bench to start at No.8, shifting co-captain Liam Messam to blindside flanker, while Jamie Mackintosh replaces Pauliasi Manu at loosehead prop.

Originally published as Michael Cheika says Waratahs need to take game to a new level if they’re to defeat Chiefs