NSW Waratahs rest Michael Hooper from match against the Blues

If the Waratahs are to turn their rollercoaster season around, they’ll need to break a significant hoodoo - and do so without their inspirational captain.

Waratahs lock Tom Staniforth is expecting a physical encounter against the Blues. Picture: AAP

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Coach Daryl Gibson hopes the bad news he delivered to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper delivers a good return for the NSW Waratahs later in the season.
Gibson has opted to rest the workaholic flanker for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash with the Blues in order to have the workaholic flanker at his best for the crucial conference derby against Melbourne in week 10.
Hooper’s spell allows exciting young flanker Will Miller to make his first start of the season as the Waratahs attempt to bounce back from last week’s shock loss to the Sunwolves.

While the skipper didn’t take the news well that he wouldn’t run out at Eden Park, Gibson said it was important to manage his load, especially in a World Cup year.

“We saw that as an opportunity heading into our bye that he gets two weeks off,” Gibson said.

Michael Hooper of the Waratahs will not play against the Blues. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty Images

“He’s played just about every minute of our last six games, so it’s a good opportunity for him and he’s going to be really firing going into the Rebels game coming off the bye.”
Star centre Kurtley Beale has been relegated to the bench but Gibson insisted the demotion had nothing to do with the Wallaby’s form.

The coach merely preferred to stiffen up his midfield defence, opting to partner Adam Ashley-Cooper and Karmichael Hunt there.

“He hasn’t been dropped,” Gibson said.

“I’ve looked at Auckland and I look at it where they’re strong. They’ve got some big boppers coming down that channel.

“I’ve selected a combination in the middle which I believe can combat that and add some.

Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs has been benched - not dropped. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty Images

“And that’s where Karmichael and Adam really excel in the defensive area and there’s a role for Kurtley coming off the bench in providing that spark in attack.”

Bullying the Blues’ forwards will be the key to winning their first game in New Zealand in four years, Waratahs lock Tom Staniforth has declared.

NSW has not won a game across the ditch since April 2015, when they defeated the Hurricanes 29-24 in Wellington.

The agonising stretch of seven losses can be ended at Eden Park on Saturday, however the Blues are high on confidence after three successive wins.

Their powerhouse pack has laid the platform for those wins and Staniforth said the Waratahs must stand up in battle.

“[It will be] very physical, they’ve obviously got a very big pack, great skills in the backs, so we really have to front up physically in defence and back our skills in attack,” Staniforth said.

“They’ve got a very physical forward pack and they’re going to look to dominate.”

Waratahs lock Tom Staniforth is expecting a physical encounter against the Blues. Picture: AAP

WARATAHS OUT TO END FOUR-YEAR HOODOO

NSW is smarting from their shock defeat to the Sunwolves last Friday, which saw them slip to second in the Australian conference, having taken the lead the week prior by defeating the Crusaders.