Tom Decent is a journalist with Fairfax Media.
Israel Folau says he is enjoying his football again and believes the Waratahs have the skills to become the first Australian team this year to beat a New Zealand side when they head across the ditch later this week.
The Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies will be sweating to get an update on the injury status of Reece Hodge after the utility back copped a nasty head knock in his side's loss to the Waratahs on Sunday afternoon.
Coach says Waratah's 50-23 victory is excellent preparation for looming New Zealand trip.
Waratahs captain Michael Hooper has a simple plan to stop Melbourne Rebels back-rower Sean McMahon on Sunday at Allianz Stadium.
For Melbourne Rebels captain Reece Hodge and all his teammates who hail from NSW, Sunday's match against the Waratahs will hold extra significance.
​RUPA chief executive Ross Xenos has welcomed the idea of an earlier meeting between the ARU and stakeholders.
NSW Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has asked his players – and returning second-rower Will Skelton in particular – to match the intensity of the under-threat Melbourne Rebels when the teams meet in Sydney on Sunday.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says he feels for players at the Melbourne Rebels but has made the claim the club's footballers are the ones "in control of their own destiny" and are able to create certainty around their futures.
Two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan says the Wallabies need to seriously consider resting Kurtley Beale for the June Test series because without him they won't be able to beat New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup later in the year.
Waratahs prop Tom Robertson believes NSW have the potential to be "unbeatable" if they can replicate their excellent second halves in the opening 40 minutes of matches.
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