Waratahs captain Michael Hooper has a simple plan to stop Melbourne Rebels back-rower Sean McMahon on Sunday at Allianz Stadium.

Melbourne Rebels still believe they can take some scalps heading into the backend of the season.

Sun-Herald rugby columnist Matt Burke sits down with Israel Folau to talk form and Super Rugby on the eve of the Waratahs' clash with the Melbourne Rebels.

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.

The ARU is set for a special general meeting after RUPA voted to support the Victorian Rugby Union.

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.

On a Tuesday evening last month, Waratahs utility back Andrew Kellaway woke up in the middle of the night, gasping for breath.

NSW are still a chance of making the Super Rugby finals, but coach says more work needs to be done.

​Another Brumbies loss and Queensland's hoodoo-busting win over the Melbourne Rebels has added some life to the race to the Super Rugby finals.

​Plenty of soul searching might lay ahead but Cooper Cronk has made one big decision - he is not interested in rugby union.

The NSW Waratahs have shut the door on the possibility of signing Melbourne Storm star Cooper Cronk for next season, saying speculation of such a cross-code switch was a "definite non-story".

• COMMENT

Rugby reporter Tom Decent took the opportunity to watch a Waratahs match with fans rather than in the press box last weekend. This is what he saw.

New Zealand's worst remains a class above Australia's best after the Blues downed the NSW Waratahs by seven points in their Super Rugby clash in Sydney.

Waratahs' finals prospects will likely be dead and buried if they can't conquer the enterprising Aucklanders.

Michael Cheika has been a keen observer of Phipps' "chequered start to the year".

A fourth straight home defeat will almost certainly put paid to the NSW Waratahs' play-off prospects.

Cam Clark doesn't mind playing fullback, wing or even being deployed as a decoy fall guy – so long as he's in the NSW Waratahs starting side.

Israel Folau is urging teammates to ignore the hype as the Waratahs fight to save Australia from a humiliating whitewash at the hands of NZ teams.