Rugby: Waratahs backline face testing time

BRISBANE - Ewen McKenzie is as intrigued as anyone whether NSW's new-look, exciting backline will risk living up to their early-season hype in a fiery Super 14 opener.

McKenzie, now opposing his old team as Queensland coach, copped enough ribbing in his five successful years as Waratahs mentor about their pragmatic forward-oriented game.

Successor Chris Hickey copped similar criticism as NSW's backline failed to fire in 2009 when they finished fifth despite having the fourth-worst attacking record.

The defection of Berrick Barnes from Queensland combined with the recruitment of Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell and Chiefs flyer Soseni Anesi has raised hopes of a more expansive game plan.

But McKenzie hinted Saturday night's interstate grudge match, a traditionally torrid affair, could be a bridge too far for the Phil Waugh-led Waratahs.

"Whether they play their much talked-about new attacking game or play their traditional style will be interesting, but we'll be going out there to make a contest of it," McKenzie said.

"It's a philosophical question, if they want to run it more.

"The question is how much risk they want to take. They will have a formula they want to play to, that's what they have been doing, whether they stray from that will be interesting."

Hickey has retained a powerful forward pack for the Suncorp Stadium encounter, led by a test strength front-row and back-row.

He has opted to keep Dean Mumm at blind-side flanker with lock Will Caldwell shrugging off illness and a hamstring strain to partner impressive New Zealander Cam Jowitt in the second-row.

Mitchell has also overcome a hamstring niggle to be named in a dangerous back three with fullback Anesi and Lachie Turner, while Kurtley Beale will combine with Tom Carter in the midfield, with Barnes pulling the strings at five-eighth.

Hickey admitted it was a tough decision to separate Beale and Daniel Halangahu who shared the playmaking duties in 2009.

"It was a matter of going through and seeing which one gives us most balance in the backline," he said.

Back in the Super 14 after a year out with Stade Francais in Paris, McKenzie denied he retained the advantage of inside knowledge.

"Time moves on," he said.

"They've got a bunch of players I don't know very well and Berrick Barnes knows our players pretty well."

McKenzie is expected to name skipper James Horwill in the back-row, to oppose Mumm at No 6, in a bold move when he announces his team on today.

"As I've said you don't take a knife to a gun fight," he said.

"It is a heavyweight battle against one of the very best forward packs in the comp so you have to deal with that."

NSW Waratahs
Sosene Anesi, Lachie Turner, Tom Carter, Kurtley Beale, Drew Mitchell, Berrick Barnes, Luke Burgess; Wycliff Palu, Phil Waugh (capt), Dean Mumm, Cam Jowitt, Will Caldwell, Al Baxter, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.

Reserves: Damien Fitzpatrick, Sekope Kepu, Kane Douglas, Ben Mowen, Josh Holmes, Daniel Halangahu, Rory Sidey.

- AAP