The NSW Waratahs are ready to match the Melbourne Rebels' physicality as they prepare to deal with their 'frustrating' style on Friday.
The Rebels have enjoyed recent success over the Waratahs at AAMI Park, unbeaten there since 2019.
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Kevin Foote's side are eager to fight for their first victory of 2023 after narrow defeats to the Western Force and Hurricanes.
To achieve this, backrower Richard Hardwick pointed to making the Waratahs 'uncomfortable' in order to slow their momentum and limit the effectiveness of their forward pack.
“The style of rugby we want to play is to frustrate people,” Hardwick said on Wednesday.
"When you can get in people’s faces and make them uncomfortable by changing pictures that they’re used to seeing or slowing the breakdown down, they’re used to having quick ball around the corner and now they have to have their back foot and accelerate onto the ball. Just little things like that, slow their momentum down.
“Things like that just irritate teams, especially the Waratahs, they love playing on top of you with their big ball carriers and keeping momentum up.
"We try our best and I think our style of rugby really is tough for them. It’s a new year and they have new players with old heads. They’ll be privy to that so they will come out firing all cylinders.”
This got back to Waratahs HQ at Daceyville, with Jed Holloway brushing off the claims whilst praising Hardwick.
“I have seen their few points in the media but it’s interesting their whole game plan is around putting us off our game, whereas ours is just focussing on doing what we do and playing good footy and having full belief that will get the result,” Holloway responded.
"‘Dicky’ Hardwick is playing some unbelievable footy at the breakdown, and those two tries he scored at the back of the scrum, he’s a weapon there.
“So we have to be aware of him, but we are solely focused on improving our game because we are far from where we need to be. We’re only round three in so that’s our main focus where that lies.”
Holloway is the latest Waratah to commit long-term, signing a new deal that will keep him in Australian Rugby until the end of 2025.
"For me, it was a no-brainer, I've loved every minute since I've come back from Japan, and it's an incredibly exciting time here for the Waratahs and Australian Rugby," Holloway added.
"We made a lot of progress last year at the Waratahs and I think we're building something special at the Wallabies as well."
