Rugby: Foster wants clinical approach

Chiefs coach Ian Foster says his side has to be more clinical over 80 minutes. Photo / Getty Images

Chiefs coach Ian Foster is calling for a more clinical approach from his side for Friday night's seventh round Super 15 rugby match against the Waratahs in Sydney.

With just two wins after six rounds planting them at the bottom of the New Zealand conference and 10th overall, beating the Waratahs is shaping as critical to the Chiefs' season.

Foster was not appearing to be pushing the panic button yet, although he said having lost last week's match 13-16 to the Blues, his side needed "to turn some good form into good results".

"Two close losses (Hurricanes and Blues) either side of two good wins over the Rebels and Sharks show we are playing reasonably well but we have to improve closing out tight games in order to build the sort of momentum we are looking for," Foster told NZPA today.

"From our perspective, we feel a little frustrated. We feel we have been doing a lot of good stuff and we know we still got a bit of growth to do.

"We just got to go out there and keep working on what we been doing well, keep trusting it and things will happen for us.

"We just got to be a little bit more clinical over 80 minutes."

Foster made two changes to his starting lineup from the match against the Blues, summoning Dwayne Sweeney from the bench for Tana Umaga at second five-eighth to partner Richard Kahui in the midfield, while Toby Smith replaces Sona Taumalolo at loosehead prop.

Umaga and Taumalolo will be on the bench, where halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow replaces Taniela Moa.

"Sweeney has done a good for us whenever he's got an opportunity but do expect to see Tana in some form during the game."

Toby Smith, having recovered from a knee injury, had looked good when he came off the bench against the Blues, Foster said.

The Waratahs, who have named fullback Kurtley Beale at No 10 in place of regular playmaker Berrick Barnes, who suffered concussion in the last week's 29-22 win over the Brumbies, are wary of the Chiefs' powerful loose forwards and midfield.

Anticipating loose forwards Scott Waldrom, Tanerau Latimer and skipper Liam Messam to regularly charge at the Waratahs No 10, coach Chris Hickey indicated Beale might switch to fullback when his side is defending.

"That's an option we'll have a look at, he's played really well from No 15 in counter-attack, so that's something we'll have a look at as to whether that will benefit us or not," Hickey said.

Foster said such a move would not be a surprise as Beale, who last played at first five in the 2008 final against the Crusaders, had been defending as a fullback all season anyway.

The Chiefs would concentrate on what they wanted to do.

"We clearly know what we want to do. We want to be sharper and more decisive in some areas. But we are expecting a fired up Waratahs team disappointed (by a 23-3 loss to the Cheetahs) at their last home game and have stated they `should not be losing to a team like us', so it promises to be quite an interesting game."

- NZPA