Tom Decent is a journalist with Fairfax Media.
Waratahs five-eighth Bernard Foley admits he thought about his long-term health while recovering from a concussion, but says he is 100 per cent ready to steer NSW around the park on Friday against the Rebels.
Daryl Gibson says the time has come to blow up the Waratahs back line, with Israel Folau shifting to fullback and Nick Phipps dropped to the bench in what he admits is the biggest wielding of the axe in his time as NSW head coach.
Waratahs assistant coach Nathan Grey has foreshadowed a number of changes to the NSW side to face the Melbourne Rebels on Friday but the exact make-up of the team ahead of a "must-win game" might not be known until right before kick-off.
A security consultant who was charged after a listening device was found in the All Blacks' Sydney hotel room in August has pleaded not guilty.
Daryl Gibson has accepted responsibility for another Waratahs loss to the Brumbies and says it is up to him to drag the team out of the hole following their worst start to a Super Rugby season.
Michael Wells has emerged as the frontrunner to take Jack Dempsey's place in the Waratahs back row after the club confirmed the 22-year-old would be ruled out for up to 12 weeks with a foot injury he sustained against the Brumbies.
Daryl Gibson has admitted the Waratahs are in a "real hole" following their loss to the Brumbies and third consecutive defeat of the Super Rugby season.
The Waratahs have fallen to the Brumbies for the third consecutive time in two seasons and surrendered the inaugural Dan Vickerman Cup, going down 28-12 on a wet evening in Sydney.
They may have lost three matches in a row to start the Super Rugby season, but Melbourne Rebels coach Tony McGahan has praised the effort of his players against the Chiefs amid the "deafening" silence about the club's future beyond this season.
Three days after the joy of making his Super Rugby debut, Andrew Kellaway arrived at Waratahs training adamant he would be booted back to Shute Shield on the weekend.
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