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WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika strayed from NSW's tactic of letting shoulders do the talking against Queensland Reds, sniping back at their rivals' lippy confidence ahead of their clash tonight in Sydney.
In days gone by the lead-up to a NSW-Queensland match was awash with spicy verbal battles and insults, and one Waratahs official even kept a whiteboard checklist to tick off the barbs coming from north of the border.
NSW usually gave back as good as they got but curiously, given they still have plenty of empty seats to sell at ANZ Stadium, the Tahs have this week have deliberately kept a low profile as the Reds did their part and fired off some half-volleys.
The Reds have reminded NSW they've won their last five games, talked up their speedy loose forwards and said they'd be out to turn up the pressure on the "February champions" by knocking them off a sixth time.
The Queensland confidence clearly hasn't been missed and yesterday it finally elicited a response.
Asked on Friday for reaction to suggestions the Reds' pack could run rings around the bulkier NSW forwards, Cheika said: "They have got their analysis and the way they do it. I have heard them talking about it."
"There have been a few different theories of how they have got the wood on us, they've won a few games in a row or they're lighter or Liam Gill is better than Michael Hooper on the ground or Quade (Cooper) is better than (Bernard) Foley," Cheika said.
Michael Hooper during the Waratahs captain's run at Moore Park on Friday. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia
"At the moment they're probably right. We just have to prove them wrong."
Cheika was a blood-and-thunder player in his day and spoke about restoring the "hatred" for Queensland when first appointed.
Though he was well versed in the dark arts, when asked if he encouraged old-school fire-and-brimstone in the NSW-Queensland game, Cheika said all the mongrel had to be delivered cleanly.
"It's very difficult now. It's very clean isn't it?" Cheika said.
"The game has 50 million video cameras over it and it's nearly impossible to do anything anymore. So it all has to be delivered in the tackle, in the ruck contest, in the scrum, maul, any opportunity you can to get the contact."
Cheika, who added he no worries about his pack's mobility and fitness, said despite the added frequency of interstate games he was pleased to see a "different type of concentration and energy around this week".
"It's about the same intensity you deliver (in every game), but you need to just turn the dial up a notch or two because it's Queensland," he said.
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Stand-in captain Michael Hooper also shot down talk of the Reds having an advantage at the breakdown, with Stephen Hoiles replacing injured skipper Dave Dennis and Jacques Potgieter looming with malicious intent.
"It's great having … someone like Potgieter who does damage. You don't really want to put your head in rucks if he's coming at you," Hooper said.
Forecast wet weather won't affect the NSW game plan, said coach and captain.
"We are comfortable with the way we're playing so we're going to run. Maybe holding back and not pushing passes, but that's about it," Hooper said.
Cheika added: "We'll just make a few wet weather adjustments, we certainly won't be going to a kicking game, it's not in our arsenal."
Asked if the hatred still existed for Queensland, Hooper pointed to the fortunes of NSW in a rival code to answer in the affirmative.
"They have won enough State of Origins recently, we need to get one back on them," he joked.
"There's enough hatred there, definitely."
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