LIVE: Waratahs urged to 'poke the bear'

HURRICANES (15-1): Josh Moorby, Julian Savea, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Kini Naholo, Brett Cameron, Cameron Roigard, Ardie Savea (c), Du'Plessis Kirifi, Devan Flanders, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia

Reserves: Dane Coles, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Dominic Bird, Braydon Iose, Jamie Booth, Aidan Morgan, Bailyn Sulivan

WARATAHS (15-1): Max Jorgensen, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Izaia Perese, Lalakai Foketi, Nemani Nadolo, Ben Donaldson, Jake Gordon (c), Langi Gleeson, Michael Hooper, Charlie Gamble, Taleni Seu, Ned Hanigan, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert

Reserves: Tolu Latu, Sateki Latu, Daniel Botha, Lachie Swinton, Will Harris, Harrison Goddard, Tane Edmed, Mosese Tuipulotu

Referee: Brendon Pickerill

Morgan Turinui reckons the Waratahs should thin into Ardie Savea's caller dummy spit and effort to upwind up the Hurricanes captain.

Waratahs fastener Ned Hanigan suggested connected Wednesday that the visitors shouldn't "poke the bear" portion flanker Charlie Gamble labelled Savea 1 of the sport's existent best.

Speaking connected Stan Sport's latest Rugby Heaven episode, Turinui countered Hanigan's stance, suggesting determination is an opening to get astatine the forward.

"I'm going to accidental this from the information of the commentary container – surely they should beryllium poking the bear," said Turinui.

"He's had subject issues. He's their champion player, if they tin get him a small spot disconnected his game, if he's second-guessing himself – however hard helium tin go, however carnal helium tin beryllium – is that not a small weapon? This is simply a pugnacious situation implicit there."

Savea's throat-slitting motion came conscionable arsenic the lucifer betwixt his Hurricanes and the Rebels deed halftime.

A scuffle astatine the effort enactment lingered earlier Savea flung Carter Gordon to the ground.

The instigator was fixed a yellowish paper for his troubles having been deemed to person escalated the conflict.

The Rebels, visibly fired up arsenic a result, bounced backmost and came adjacent to toppling the Hurricanes.

"Right connected halftime, that's however – poked the carnivore and poked the spread and they got backmost into the game," Horan explained.

"They got wrong six points, I deliberation towards the extremity of that match, truthful it's gonna beryllium a pugnacious one. 

"All that Hurricanes squad travel 1 bloke and it's Ardie Savea, the stats connected erstwhile he's not playing successful the win-loss, the Hurricanes erstwhile he's not, determination is huge."

Justin Harrison suggested the forthcoming clash was an accidental for Savea to prevention immoderate face.

"Ardie Savea is simply a talented rugby player," said the erstwhile Wallabies international.

"He's been done this play of ill-discipline present and we're looking guardant to seeing him determination guardant into what we cognize that benignant of idiosyncratic presents connected the tract – a passionate and parochial typical for the Hurricanes successful New Zealand rugby and besides creating successful his ain way, hearts and minds and heroes that are aspirational."

The Hurricanes volition big the Waratahs from 5:05pm.