Waratahs unchanged for Highlanders clash

May 25, 2017 - 5:07 AM NSW Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has enjoyed the rare experience of selecting an unchanged winning team to face the Highlanders in their Super Rugby clash in Dunedin on Saturday.

Battling to keep their season alive, the Waratahs go in with a 4-7 win loss record but are coming off a confidence-boosting 50-23 defeat of the Melbourne Rebels.

The Highlanders (9-3) are one of the form teams in the competition, on an eight-game winning streak after crushing the Western Force 55-6 last weekend and regain All Black fullback Ben Smith to start this week.

"The players all stood up to the challenge of winning the game against the Rebels, a win that was the result of a lot of hard work leading into that match," Gibson said.

"We achieved our objective last week, but that's just the first step on the road ahead of us, which we know is a tough one.

"We'll continue to keep things simple and we've shown that's when we're at our best."

NSW Waratahs: Israel Folau, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Rob Horne, David Horwitz, Cam Clark, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Michael Wells, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan, Will Skelton, Dean Mumm, Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Tom Robertson. Res: Damien Fitzpatrick, Paddy Ryan, Angus Taavao, David McDuling, Jed Holloway. Jake Gordon, Bryce Hegarty, Irae Simone.

Source: AAP