Victory over Brumbies will provided Waratahs the belief to kick-start their season

IT’S no secret the Waratahs’ season hangs on a knife edge. But a win over their fiercest rival puts them back in the hunt to claim top spot in the Aussie conference.

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES - APRIL 06: Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson talks to Bernard Foley (L) and Kurtley Beale (C) of the Waratahs during a Waratahs Super Rugby training session at Kippax Lake on April 6, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

THE Waratahs can throw the Australian conference wide open with victory against the Brumbies on Saturday, however a loss could consign them to the bottom five in the table.

Such is the closeness of Super Rugby’s mid-table, the result of this weekend’s looming showdown between Australia’s fiercest rivals will have massive consequences for both sides’ finals hopes.

The Brumbies are equal leaders of the local conference with Melbourne, and are ahead on points differential, though after two early byes the Tahs have a game in hand.

If NSW lose Saturday’s derby at Allianz Stadium, it would spell disaster for their finals aspirations as New Zealand’s sides steam ahead on points, with the possibility remaining that four out of the five Kiwi sides will feature in the playoffs.

But if the Tahs can win, the Australian conference lead could be separated by just one or two points, in which case NSW could begin dreaming about the surprising possibility of topping the group and securing a home quarter-final.

Ten rounds remain and there will be twists and turns to come, but the biggest factor out of the Tahs-Brumbies showdown will be belief, a crucial factor in the team’s seasons.

The Brumbies must win to restore belief they are the country’s premier side, and their last showing against the Chiefs was an aberration that was immediately corrected.

NSW needs the win to increase belief that 2016 is not just a year where they blood new talent and build for coming seasons.

The Tahs have shown little signs of being genuine title threats so far; their scrum and lineouts have been exposed, their ball-handling and communication has been poor, and they have lacked the ruthless killer punch evident in their 2014 premiership season.

The Waratahs brains trust.

But if they can suddenly challenge for top spot in the Aussie conference, there will be a new dynamic about them.

Under the rules, the winner of the Australian conference is guaranteed a home quarter-final, despite all signs suggesting that two or three other Kiwi sides could accrue more points during the regular season.

And while the Tahs have lost plenty of experience, a large number of their squad have still played finals football, making them a dangerous prospect.

While the Brumbies will be missing star David Pocock for this game, the Tahs will be hoping both hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and playmaker Kurtley Beale can overcome injuries to play.

The pair will be tested throughout the week before a call is made on their availability.

The Waratahs are confident Tatafu Polota-Nau will return for the Brumbies clash. Picture: Mark Evans

Last time the sides met, the Brumbies demolished NSW’s scrum and took hold of the match from there to win 32-15.

While NSW’s scrum showed some signs of improvement in their last outing, a defeat to Melbourne, the Rebels don’t possess nearly as strong a scrummaging unit as the Brumbies and area will be key again.

Pocock’s absence will give NSW an easier time retaining their ball at the breakdown to set up their stuttering backs, and if the speedsters can rediscover their groove, and the scrum holds up, the Tahs may breathe new life into their season.

Originally published as Victory over Brumbies will provided Waratahs the belief to kick-start their season